Mouthguards

Your Teeth Are Worth Protecting

Your First VisitCall 612-662-1200
Dr. Herbert and a team member using a digital scanner during a patient visit.
Dental team member showing a tooth model to a patient during a consultation.

The Damage Happens While You're Not Paying Attention

A Custom Guard, Fitted to You

Grinding usually starts quietly. A sore jaw in the morning or teeth that feel sensitive for no obvious reason. By the time you notice something is wrong, the wear has already been happening for months.

Sports injuries are more sudden, but the principle is the same: a single impact to an unprotected mouth is enough to crack or displace a tooth that took years of care to keep healthy.

A custom mouthguard addresses both.

Dr. Herbert provides guards for both nighttime grinders and athletes, made from precise impressions of your teeth so they fit the way a store-bought guard never will.

Dr. Herbert

Two Situations, One Solution

A custom mouthguard addresses both.

A nightguard sits between your upper and lower teeth while you sleep, absorbing the force of clenching and grinding before it reaches your teeth and jaw.
A sports guard cushions that force and distributes it across the guard rather than concentrating it on a single tooth.
Dr. Jennifer Herbert in a mask and gloves preparing to examine a patient.

The Guard That Works While You Sleep

You wake up with a stiff jaw or a dull ache behind your temples. Your teeth start to show wear. Left unchecked, nighttime grinding wears down enamel unevenly and loads your jaw joints in ways that compound over time.

A nightguard sits between your upper and lower teeth while you sleep, absorbing the force of clenching and grinding before it reaches your teeth and jaw. Dr. Herbert designs them to sit flat and stay in place through the night, with a profile slim enough to adapt to within a few nights.

Dr. Jennifer Herbert pointing to a digital scan of a patient's teeth.

Protection That Stays Put

That impact from a hard hit or a fall during a game? With an unprotected mouth, it’s enough to crack or displace a tooth that took years of care to keep healthy. A sports guard cushions that force and distributes it across the guard rather than concentrating it on a single tooth.

The fit is what separates a custom guard from a store-bought one. A guard that shifts around mid-game is one you'll pull out and pocket. Dr. Herbert's custom sports guards stay seated so you're not thinking about them while you play.

From Digital Scan to Ready-to-Wear

01

Dr. Herbert Starts With Your Bite

Before the scan begins, Dr. Herbert looks at your bite and checks for existing wear patterns. For grinders, the degree of wear visible on your teeth helps her determine the thickness and coverage your guard needs. For athletes, she'll factor in the sport and the level of contact involved.

02

A Scan Instead of a Putty Tray

Rather than the traditional putty tray, Dr. Herbert uses the practice's iTero digital scanner to capture precise measurements of your teeth. The scan takes a few minutes, produces a detailed 3D model of your bite, and removes the guesswork from the fitting process. Your guard is then built from that model.

Dr. Herbert talking with a patient while a team member holds a digital scanner.

Leaving With a Guard That Fits

When your guard is ready, Dr. Herbert checks the fit in the chair and makes any minor adjustments before you leave. She'll walk you through how to clean it and store it so it lasts. Guards are checked at your regular dental cleanings and exams to make sure they're holding up.

dental cleanings and exams
Team member explaining a digital scan and tooth model to a patient in the dental chair.

Already in Invisalign? Your Guard Is Built In

If you're finishing or have completed your Invisalign treatment, Dr. Herbert uses Vivera retainers, made by the same manufacturer as Invisalign aligners. Vivera retainers are durable enough to double as a nightguard for mild grinders, so you're protecting your alignment and your enamel at the same time.

Invisalign

You'll Get To Know Our Team, And They'll Know You

Most members of our small, seven-person team have been here for 14 to 20 years. And with Dr. Herbert at the helm of J&D Dental since 1998, you’ll be in the same expert hands with the same knowledge of how your bite sits and where your wear patterns tend to show up. 

For mouthguard patients, that continuity is practical as much as personal. Your bite changes over time, gradually and often imperceptibly. A team that has seen your teeth across years of checkups notices those shifts early, adjusts your guard before the fit becomes a problem, and catches new wear patterns before they become something more involved.

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Smiling mouthguards patient at the dental practice

Frequently Asked Questions About Mouthguards

How is a custom guard different from one I can buy at the pharmacy?

Pharmacy guards use a boil-and-bite method that approximates your bite shape but never captures it precisely. The result is a guard that fits loosely, creates pressure in the wrong places, and often gets abandoned after a few nights. A custom guard is made from an accurate model of your teeth, so it sits flush, stays in place, and distributes force the way it's supposed to.

Will I get used to sleeping with a nightguard in?

You'll typically adapt within one to two weeks. The adjustment period is shorter with a well-fitted guard because there's no shifting or excess bulk to work around. Dr. Herbert keeps the profile as slim as your bite allows, which helps.

How long does a custom mouthguard last?

That depends on how heavily you grind or clench. For moderate grinders, a well-maintained nightguard typically lasts two to five years. Dr. Herbert checks yours at your regular visits and will let you know when it's showing enough wear to warrant a replacement.

What if I grind and also play sports?

You'll likely need two separate guards. A sports guard is designed for impact absorption during waking hours, while a nightguard is optimised for the sustained, lower-force pressure of clenching during sleep. Dr. Herbert will talk through both at your appointment.

How do I clean and store my guard?

Rinse your guard with cool water after each use and brush it gently with a soft toothbrush. Avoid hot water, which warps the material. Store it in the vented case Dr. Herbert provides so it dries out between uses. Bring it to your regular checkups so the team can check the fit and condition.