Comfort & protection
Jaw pain & teeth grinding
Waking with a sore jaw, headaches, or teeth worn flat? Clenching and grinding — often at night, and often stress-driven — does quiet damage over years. We work out what’s happening and protect your teeth, usually with a custom night guard.
Balanced stones — pressure eased, grounded and calm.
The quiet damage of grinding
Teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism) mostly happens in your sleep, so the first you know of it is the symptoms — a sore jaw, headaches, or teeth that are wearing down. The good news is it can be managed.
What’s happening
The jaw muscles clench with real force through the night, wearing enamel, straining the jaw joint, and sometimes cracking teeth or fillings.
How we help
At Allura Dental in Truganina, a custom-made night guard (occlusal splint) is a simple, non-invasive way to protect your teeth from grinding damage, and it can help ease jaw muscle strain for some people.
Straightforward first: the priority is protecting your teeth from further wear. If teeth are already worn or cracked, we’ll talk through restoring them separately.
Signs worth mentioning
Bruxism is easy to miss because it happens while you sleep. It’s worth raising with us if you notice any of these:
A sore jaw or headaches
Waking with jaw tightness, facial soreness or headaches around the temples is a classic sign of night-time clenching.
Worn, chipped or sensitive teeth
Teeth that are flattening, chipping at the edges, or becoming sensitive can be showing the wear of grinding.
A partner who hears grinding
Often it’s the person next to you who first notices the grinding at night.
Grinding is frequently linked to stress and to your bite. We look at the whole picture rather than just handing over a guard.
What to expect
Protecting the teeth is usually quick; a custom night guard is made to fit only you.
- 1Step one
Assess the signs
We examine your teeth for wear, check the jaw and bite, and talk through your symptoms and any triggers.
- 2Step two
A custom night guard
We take a scan or impression so the guard is made to fit your teeth precisely — comfortable enough that you’ll actually wear it.
- 3Step three
Fit & adjust
We fit the guard, check it feels right, and adjust it so it protects without disturbing your sleep.
- 4Step four
Review & restore
We keep an eye on the wear, and where teeth are already damaged, plan how to restore them.
What it costs
A custom night guard is priced as a single appliance and quoted before we make it — far better value than repairing years of grinding damage. Many health funds contribute, and we claim on the spot.
Health fund rebates
All major Australian funds accepted and claimed on the spot through HICAPS — you settle only the gap.
Interest-free options
Larger treatment can be spread over time rather than paid upfront — just ask.
No surprise additions
Your quote covers the plan agreed. If something changes clinically, we discuss it before it affects the cost.
Benefits
Why consider it
- Can help manage jaw pain, clenching and teeth grinding.
- A custom occlusal splint is designed to protect teeth from wear.
- May help reduce headaches or jaw tension linked to grinding.
- Your dentist will assess your bite and tailor the approach.
Recovery
Aftercare & recovery
If a splint is provided, it may take time to get used to wearing it.
- Wear the splint as directed, often overnight.
- Clean the splint regularly and store it as instructed.
- Some initial discomfort or increased saliva can occur.
- Bring the splint to reviews so your dentist can check the fit.
- Contact the clinic if jaw pain increases or the fit feels wrong.
General guidance only — your dentist will give you instructions specific to your treatment and circumstances.
Meet your dentist
Dr Sumaiya Pathan
Dr Sumaiya Pathan brings more than 10 years of Australian clinical experience, having cared for patients across both metropolitan and regional communities — from Sydney to Broken Hill and across metropolitan Melbourne. That range matters: it teaches you to be thorough, and to treat the person rather than just the tooth.
She provides the full range of general and cosmetic dental treatments, and is known for a gentle, unhurried approach — taking the time to explain every option clearly, including the option to wait where that is clinically reasonable.
Cover & claiming
We accept all major health funds
We’re a HICAPS practice, so you claim on the spot and settle only the gap on the day. Allura Dental is also a participating nib No Gap dentist and First Choice provider, for eligible nib Extras members. That network is nib’s preferred provider arrangement for dental, so an nib Extras policy goes further here. Eligible children can be bulk-billed under Medicare’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), and interest-free payment options are available.
… and every other Australian fund.
Reviews
See what our patients say
We let our patients speak for themselves — read their unedited reviews on Google.
In line with AHPRA advertising guidelines, we don’t publish ratings or reproduce reviews about clinical treatment on our own site.
Questions
Jaw Pain & Teeth Grinding FAQs
How do I know if I grind my teeth?
Common signs are waking with a sore or tight jaw, headaches around the temples, teeth that are flattening or chipping, increasing sensitivity, or a partner who hears grinding at night. Because it mostly happens in your sleep, these clues are often the first you’ll notice — mention them and we’ll check.
Is a custom night guard better than a chemist one?
Considerably. A boil-and-bite guard from the chemist is bulky, fits poorly and often ends up not worn. A custom guard is made to your teeth for a precise, comfortable fit — which is the difference between a guard that protects your teeth and one that lives in a drawer.
Will a night guard stop me grinding?
It won’t stop the grinding itself, but it protects your teeth and joint from the damage, and many people find it eases the jaw soreness and headaches too. Because grinding is often stress-related, we’ll also talk about the contributing factors.
Is teeth grinding related to stress?
Often, yes — stress and anxiety are common triggers for night-time clenching and grinding, though bite issues and other factors play a part. That’s why we look at the whole picture rather than treating the symptom alone.
Can teeth already worn down by grinding be fixed?
Yes — worn, chipped or cracked teeth can be rebuilt with bonding, or crowns where the wear is heavy. We’d protect against further grinding first with a guard, then plan any restoration so the new work lasts.
Related
You may also be considering
Custom Mouthguards
The same custom-fit approach, for protecting teeth during sport.
Crowns & Bridges
Rebuilding teeth already worn or cracked by grinding.
Check-ups & Cleaning
Where the early signs of grinding are often first spotted.
Cost & Pricing
How our fees work, health-fund claiming and interest-free options.
This page is general information, not dental advice. Individual suitability — and the results achievable in your case — can only be assessed by a registered dentist in person. Outcomes vary between patients.
Find us
Visit us in Truganina
22 Bradshaw Street, Truganina VIC 3029 · on-site parking · Get directions →
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