Do I Need a New Night Guard After a Crown?

When you’re a teeth grinder, you know the importance of wearing your night guard while you sleep. It’s the protective barrier that stands between you and a restless night of jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and tossing and turning. 

Wearing it long-term can help you avoid the damage to your teeth and gums that comes with bruxism.

But just because you’re preventing future damage doesn’t mean you don’t already have dental problems that require restorations like crowns. Understandably, you’re concerned that any major change to your bite, as a crown can bring, might require a new night guard. 

Does your fixed tooth mean you need a new crown? Can you even wear a night guard with a crown?

We’ll share those answers and explain everything you need to know about merging night guards into your post-crown dental health routine here.

Does a Crown Mean You Need a New Night Guard?

Bruxism is a common condition, usually seen in children who tend to outgrow their symptoms by adulthood. But when you’re a bruxer with your permanent teeth already in place, the teeth grinding and jaw clenching that come with your condition can be damaging to your oral health.

Grinding and clenching unconsciously create a substantial force against the teeth. Over time, this force can chip, crack, or break the enamel, damaging the tooth's structure and requiring a crown to fix it.

Whether your damaged tooth was caused by bruxism or something else, a dental crown is often the most effective solution, adding a layer of protection against external pressures like grinding.

Understanding Your New Crown

Did you know that the visible part of your tooth has a name? It’s also called a crown.

This separate distinction is important because the actual tooth structure consists of multiple parts:

• Crown
• Roots
• Enamel
• Dentin
• Cementum
• Pulp

When your “tooth” hurts, the problem must be narrowed down to the specific damaged part to find the correct solution. 

So, it makes sense that a dental crown is simply a covering that looks and acts like the natural visible part of the tooth. These crowns restore the damaged tooth’s size, shape, and strength, matching the appearance of the surrounding teeth.

Wearing a Night Guard Over Your New Crown

You can have a metal (gold, silver, or stainless steel), composite resin, or porcelain crown, or opt for porcelain fused to metal (PFM).

Each material works well for different reasons, but they’re all effective in that they act like natural teeth in form and function.

However, as a bruxer, you’ll want to consider whether your new crown is designed to withstand the pressures of your nighttime grinding.

You’ve already been using a night guard to protect your teeth from the wear and tear of bruxism, but that oral appliance was created from an impression or mold of your teeth before your latest dental restoration.

If they’re fabricated to sit over the arch correctly, night guards protect the new crown. But, if you’re still using your old device, that expensive crown might not have protection — and it could damage the rest of your teeth, too.

Yes, You Need a New Night Guard After a Crown — Here’s Why

You made one small change to your smile. What’s the big deal about wearing your old night guard?

Maybe nothing, but maybe plenty. It’s wise not to take the chance.

Wearing an ill-fitting night guard can lead to painful and unpleasant side effects. The new crown changes the tooth's shape and can shift its position. 

When that happens, it may create a domino effect that causes the rest of the teeth to move, a phenomenon known as teeth migration. 

Because of this movement, the old dental appliance can become uncomfortable at best and may even damage your teeth, including the crown, over time.

Read more: 5 Dental Night Guard Side Effects [+ Solutions]

My Crown is Temporary: Can I Wear My Night Guard Anyway?

Temporary crowns are designed to last until your new crown is fabricated and placed. Getting a new night guard while you wait isn't cost- or time-effective.

But wearing your old night guard isn’t the best solution, either. Instead, you may want to use an over-the-counter night guard.

Pros and Cons of an OTC Guard

Most oral healthcare professionals are firmly on Team Custom Nightguard. Still, there are occasional good applications for OTC guards, like protecting a temporary crown.

Over-the-counter guards are a budget-friendly and fast option for those looking for a night guard that doesn’t need to last. Because they’re made from less durable materials, they’re cheaper. You can find them in one-size-fits-all or boil-and-bite versions. Either way, they aren’t customized for your teeth’s unique shape and aren’t designed to withstand moderate to severe or long-term grinding.

What they are perfect for is the short-term transition period between your temporary crown and your permanent dental restoration. In this stage of your oral healthcare journey, you’ll still need something to protect your teeth, including the temporary cap, from your grinding behaviors. Grabbing an OTC night guard is the best solution. 

Keep in mind that this shouldn’t be a long-term choice, as the side effects of wearing a night guard that isn’t customized to your teeth can cause the damage we discussed earlier. But during the very short few days as you await your permanent crown placement, the OTC guard is a great stopgap solution.

What Type of Night Guard Should I Get to Protect My Permanent Crown?

Wearing a night guard to protect your crown is necessary, but choosing between an upper or lower teeth arch is the next question. The answer depends on which one covers the crown effectively and is the most comfortable. 

Soft, Hard, and Hybrid Custom-Made Night Guards

If your teeth are sensitive, you might opt for a soft night guard made of soft vinyl. It’s comfortable enough to sleep in with minimal disruption and can still relax your muscles enough to reduce jaw pain. The downside is that it may not provide enough protection to protect your crown from your level of bruxism. Strong grinders can bite right through a soft guard! 

On the other hand, the hard night guards used by extreme bruxers aren’t recommended for covering crowns. They’re not flexible or pliable. Made from hard acrylic, these add extra force to the teeth upon removal and can loosen the crown. 

Hybrid night guards are an in-between option made from dual laminate materials, giving you a soft inner cushion and hard outer layer. They’re ideal for people with dental implants and crowns who also want a little extra comfort, and they’re durable enough to withstand moderate and severe grinding.

If you’re still unsure which type of night guard will best protect your teeth and crown, talk to your dentist or a custom night guard professional (like our experts at JS Dental Lab) to find out which type of guard is best for your grinding behaviors.

What Do I Need to Know About Caring for Bruxism With a Crown?

When you had your crown placed, you may have received instructions on caring for it during the temporary phase and the permanent aftercare.

But when you’re a bruxer, there’s more involved in ensuring that your new restorations aren’t damaged from your nocturnal grinding behaviors.  Here, we’ll share the dos and don’ts of bruxing with a dental crown.

The lifespan of your new crown depends on two main things: the material it’s made from and how well you care for it. Most crowns will last 10-15 years, but some can hold up well for decades. 

One factor that will deteriorate this lifespan is untreated bruxism. So if you want your crown to stay in good shape, it’s essential that you manage your grinding through a night guard and other care, including:

• Good oral hygiene habits - Brush twice daily (using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste unless otherwise directed by your dentist) and floss. Pay extra attention to the area around the crown to minimize the buildup of food particles and other debris.
• Stick to a soft-foods diet when possible - Avoid chewy, hard, and sticky foods that could loosen your crown.
• Wear your night guard regularly - This is to prevent damage to your teeth and jaw muscles. However, the night guard doesn’t stop bruxism. Work with your healthcare provider to determine the reason for this condition and treat it at its source.
• Avoid using your teeth as a tool - It’s tempting to rip open that stubborn package with your front teeth, but this could lead to instant regret when a tooth is damaged! Likewise, chewing on your fingernails, ice cubes, pen caps, and other unhealthy habits can be destructive to your teeth.
• Keep up with your regular dental visits for cleanings and checkups - Your dentist will monitor your mouth for any changes that might have cropped up since your new crown was placed, and watch for gradual signs of wear and tear or other damage.

Most importantly, follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions for the first 48-72 hours after you have your new tooth covering placed. Although this procedure was in-office and (hopefully) not too uncomfortable, it was still a surgery. You’ll need to keep the mouth clean, and your dentist might have given you an antimicrobial mouthwash or other dental care product to use as directed.

Stay away from hard and sticky foods that would loosen the crown or damage it. Use a mouth guard if you’re playing contact sports, particularly during the first few days while your crown is still settling into place.

It may be challenging to say no to your favorite foods after your crown, but remember that a few days of patience, willpower, and proper care can give you years of confidence that your new “tooth” will hold up to thousands of meals. 

Conclusion

Your new dental restoration is custom-made to match the rest of your teeth, and you want it to last as long as possible. It’s now a mostly-permanent enhancement to your smile — which means you’ll need a new night guard to match your customized changes.

This upgrade doesn’t have to break the bank, though. You’ve already spent hours at the dental office and accumulated a bill to pay for your crown. 

Instead of adding hundreds more for a dentistry-version night guard, head to our JS Dental Lab site and order your professional-quality, custom-fitted night guard at a fraction of the cost!