How do I know if I grind my teeth?

Common signs: jaw soreness or headache in the morning, partner reports grinding noise at night, worn or flattened tooth surfaces, cheek biting or scalloped tongue edges, sensitivity to temperature. Your Australian dentist can identify wear patterns on your teeth — ask at your next check-up.

Does Picasso provide a night guard at the end of treatment?

Picasso provides a night guard to patients identified as grinding during clinical assessment. If you were not prescribed one but are concerned about bruxism, mention it during your consultation — it is straightforward to fabricate on the same trip.

Can I get a night guard in Australia after I return?

Yes. An AHPRA-registered dentist takes impressions and fabricates a custom hard acrylic night guard — typically AUD 400–900. This is the preferred option if you were not fitted at Picasso. Over-the-counter boil-and-bite guards are not recommended for patients with porcelain veneers or implant crowns — they provide insufficient rigidity.

Does bruxism affect implants as well as veneers?

Yes. Bruxism generates forces that can stress the implant-bone interface, loosen the abutment screw, and fracture the implant crown. Night guards are as important for implant patients as for veneer patients.

How often should I replace my night guard?

Custom hard acrylic guards typically last 2–5 years depending on the severity of grinding. Your Australian dentist can assess wear at annual check-ups. A guard worn through significantly may need replacement to maintain adequate protection.

Does private health insurance cover night guards in Australia?

Some Australian private health extras funds cover custom night guards under major dental — check item code 251 or 252 with your fund. Coverage of AUD 200–500 is common on comprehensive extras policies. Overseas-fabricated guards are not covered.

Aftercare

Night guards and bruxism - protecting veneers and implants

Why Australian patients who grind must wear a custom night guard after veneers or implants — bruxism signs, guard types, how to get one in Australia, and the clinical consequences of not wearing one.

Bruxism (tooth grinding or clenching) generates bite forces 3–10× higher than normal chewing. Without a custom night guard, these forces will chip porcelain veneers, fracture crown margins, stress implant components, and accelerate wear on natural teeth. If Picasso prescribed a guard, wear it every night. If you grind and have no guard, ask your Australian dentist to fabricate one immediately.

Why night guards matter after veneers and implants

Normal chewing generates bite forces of 100–200 Newtons. Bruxism generates 300–1,000+ Newtons — applied during sleep when you cannot consciously moderate force. Porcelain veneers and implant crowns are designed to withstand functional chewing loads, not the sustained abnormal forces of grinding.

What bruxism does to restorations	Consequence
Chips veneer edge	Aesthetic damage; may expose underlying preparation
Fractures veneer body	Replacement required
Wears crown surface	Dulls aesthetics; eventually exposes ceramic layers
Loosens implant abutment screw	Requires tightening or replacement
Stresses implant-bone interface	Increases peri-implant bone loss risk over time
Cracks natural teeth	Fractured cusps; tooth loss

Signs of bruxism — check before flying

Sign	Significance
Morning jaw pain or facial soreness	Active grinding overnight
Tension headache, temple pain	Masseter muscle fatigue
Worn, flat, or chipped tooth edges	Physical evidence of grinding
Tooth sensitivity without decay	Enamel wear exposing dentine
Cheek biting or scalloped tongue	Clenching pattern
Partner reports grinding noise	Confirms nocturnal bruxism

If you have any of these signs, tell Picasso during your consultation. Bruxism affects the treatment plan — some preparations are contraindicated, night guards are mandatory, and the warranty terms for bruxism patients may differ.

Types of night guards

Guard type	Material	Best for	Where to get
Hard acrylic — full arch	Hard acrylic	Moderate to severe bruxism; veneers; implants	AHPRA dentist; Picasso
Hard acrylic — partial coverage	Hard acrylic	Localised grinding; less intrusive	AHPRA dentist
Soft (boil-and-bite)	Soft EVA	Mild clenching only	Pharmacy — NOT suitable for veneer/implant patients
Dual laminate	Soft inner, hard outer	Moderate bruxism	Dentist

Patients with porcelain veneers or implant crowns should use a hard acrylic full-arch guard. Soft guards allow continued grinding movement and offer insufficient protection against porcelain fracture.

Getting a night guard in Australia

If Picasso did not fabricate a guard during your trip, or if your guard wears out:

See your AHPRA-registered dentist and mention that you have had veneers or implants placed at Picasso Vietnam
Request a hard acrylic full-arch night guard (item code 251 or 252 — check if covered by your extras fund)
Impressions taken at appointment 1; guard delivered at appointment 2 (1–2 weeks)
Adjustment — the guard should not alter your bite when removed in the morning; request adjustment if it does

Cost: typically AUD 400–900 for a custom hard acrylic guard at an Australian private practice.

What to do if you lose or damage your guard

Contact your Australian dentist to take new impressions and fabricate a replacement. Do not go without a guard — even one night of unprotected bruxism can chip a veneer.