Hard occlusal splint
Full-coverage acrylic, laboratory-made and adjusted to your bite. Durable, protective and the standard for heavy grinders. Lasts three to five years with normal wear.
£795
Bite and jaw · Wimpole Street, Marylebone
Bruxism and tooth grinding treatment in Marylebone: protecting teeth from a habit you cannot switch off
Bruxism is the clenching and grinding of teeth, mostly during sleep and mostly without the person knowing. The forces involved are far higher than in chewing, and over years they flatten cusps, chip edges, crack fillings, wear notches at the gum line and leave the jaw muscles aching on waking. Nobody has found a reliable way to stop the habit itself; stress, sleep disorders, caffeine, alcohol, certain antidepressants and genetics all contribute. What dentistry can do reliably is put a barrier between the teeth so the damage stops accumulating, and quieten the muscles where they are the main source of pain. At Wimpole Street a custom hard occlusal splint will be £795, a softer laminate guard from £185, and where a splint alone does not control clenching, muscle-relaxing injections into the masseters are available from £450 per session.
- Occlusal splint £795
- Soft guard from £185
- Masseter injections from £450
Suitability
Is it right for you?
A good fit when
- A stiff, aching jaw or temples on waking, or headaches that ease as the morning goes on.
- Teeth that look flatter or shorter than they used to, or front edges that have chipped for no obvious reason.
- Fillings, crowns or bonding that keep fracturing.
- A partner who hears grinding at night.
- Tooth sensitivity or gum-line notches with no other explanation.
- Anyone about to invest in veneers, crowns or implants, which grinding will otherwise shorten the life of.
Think twice, or choose another route, when
- Jaw pain from a joint problem rather than muscle overuse, which needs a TMJ assessment and sometimes a different splint design.
- Suspected sleep apnoea, which can drive grinding and should be assessed medically before a splint is made; some splints can worsen airway problems.
- Anyone unwilling to wear a guard nightly; an appliance in a drawer protects nothing.
- Masseter injections are not suitable in pregnancy, with certain neuromuscular conditions or for anyone wanting to preserve a very strong bite for sport.
- Children still in the mixed dentition, in whom grinding is common and usually outgrown.
The process
How it works at Wimpole Street
- 01
Assessment
Wear facets, cracks and gum-line notches are mapped, the jaw muscles palpated, the joint checked and your sleep, stress, caffeine and medication history taken. Photographs record the wear so progression can be judged later.
- 02
Ruling out other causes
Reflux erosion, a sleep disorder or a bite that has changed after tooth loss can all mimic or feed grinding. Where sleep apnoea is suspected you are referred for assessment first.
- 03
Choosing the appliance
Most heavy grinders need a hard acrylic splint covering all the upper or lower teeth, adjusted so every tooth meets it evenly. Light clenchers or those who struggle with a hard appliance may start with a laminate guard.
- 04
Impressions or scan
A digital scan or impressions of both arches and a bite record go to the laboratory. The splint takes about two weeks to make.
- 05
Fitting and adjustment
The splint is checked for fit, and the biting surface is adjusted so the jaw closes evenly and slides smoothly. This adjustment is what separates a custom splint from a shop-bought one.
- 06
Review and adjuncts
Wear on the splint is checked after a few months; it is doing its job if it is marked. Where muscle pain persists, masseter injections are discussed, with review at two weeks and repeat every three to four months if helpful.
Choices
Options & materials
Soft or laminate night guard
A flexible or dual-layer guard for lighter clenchers or those who cannot tolerate hard acrylic. Cheaper and quicker but wears faster and can encourage chewing in some people.
From £185
Masseter muscle injections
Small doses of a muscle-relaxing agent into the main chewing muscles reduce clenching force for around three to four months. An adjunct to a splint, not a replacement for it. About fifteen minutes.
From £450 per session
Repair of worn teeth
Composite bonding or crowns to rebuild chipped edges and flattened cusps once the grinding is controlled and a splint is in use.
Bonding from £395, crowns from £995
Fees
What it costs
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
Assessment New-patient rate (usual fee £95). Photographs and radiographs (£20 each). | £30 |
Hard occlusal splint Laboratory-made, fitted and adjusted; includes one review. | £795 |
Soft or laminate night guard For lighter clenching. | From £185 |
Masseter injections Consultation, injections and two-week review. | From £450 per session |
Splint adjustment or reline After dental work changes the bite. | Quoted |
Indicative Wimpole Street fees, the same as at South Kensington and St Paul's. A written plan with the exact figure is agreed before anything is started.
Outcomes
What the result looks like
A well-fitted splint does not stop grinding, but it stops the damage: the acrylic wears instead of the enamel and the load is spread evenly, and most people notice less morning stiffness within a couple of weeks. Existing wear is not reversed, though chipped edges can be rebuilt once the teeth are protected.
Masseter injections reduce the force the muscles can generate and, in many patients, ease jaw pain and headache within one to two weeks, fading over three to four months. Responses vary. Neither treatment addresses the underlying trigger; where stress or sleep is clearly the driver we say so.
Afterwards
Looking after the result
- Wear the splint every night; consistency is what protects the teeth. Take it to any dental appointment so the bite can be checked against it.
- Rinse and brush the splint with cool water and a soft brush each morning; store it dry in its case, away from pets.
- Bring the splint for review if it cracks, feels loose or if you have new dental work that changes how it sits.
- After injections, avoid rubbing the area or strenuous exercise for the rest of the day; chewing very tough food may feel tiring for a few weeks.
- Reduce late caffeine and alcohol and address sleep quality where you can; these steps will not stop grinding on their own but they lower its intensity.
Informed consent
Risks and honest limitations
Every treatment has trade-offs. These are the ones we discuss at the consultation so that a decision is made with full information rather than after the fact.
- A splint protects only while worn, and many patients stop wearing it once symptoms ease, at which point the wear resumes.
- Hard splints can feel bulky for the first week or two and occasionally increase salivation until you adapt.
- Soft guards wear quickly and, in some people, provoke more clenching rather than less.
- Bite changes are possible with poorly adjusted or partial-coverage appliances, which is why full coverage and regular checks are used.
- Masseter injections can cause bruising, temporary weakness when chewing, an asymmetric smile if the agent spreads, or headache; effects are temporary but can last weeks.
- Neither treatment stops the habit itself, and worn teeth do not regrow.
FAQ
Questions patients ask
Common clues are a tight or aching jaw on waking, morning headaches around the temples, flattened or chipped teeth, sensitivity, fillings that keep breaking and a partner who hears it. The wear pattern on your teeth usually confirms it at examination.
It fits precisely, so it stays in and does not distort, and its biting surface is adjusted so the jaw closes evenly. Boil-and-bite guards are soft, bulky, wear through in months and can encourage chewing.
No. It changes what you grind on. The acrylic takes the wear instead of your teeth, and the even surface often relaxes the muscles, but the habit itself continues.
Three to five years for most people; heavy grinders may wear through sooner. A splint that is scratched and marked is one that has been working.
No. They lower the force of clenching for a few months and help with muscle pain, but the teeth still meet at night. They are used alongside a splint, not instead of one.
Yes. Assessment and splint fitting are available now at South Kensington and St Paul’s at the same fees, with reviews in Marylebone from 1 October 2026.
Keep reading
Related treatments and guides
Marylebone, W1
Bruxism treatment at Wimpole Street from 1 October 2026
Register your interest and we will contact you as soon as the Marylebone diary is live. If you would rather start sooner, the same clinicians already see patients in South Kensington and at St Paul’s.
Opening 1 October 2026
Wimpole Street is not yet seeing patients. Until then, please book or call our South Kensington clinic on 020 7183 2362 or our St Paul's clinic on 020 7183 3709. Questions about the new clinic: wimpolestreet@md.co.uk.
Until we open
Need an appointment before 1 October 2026?
The same clinical team already works from two other Medical & Dental clinics. Book at either one now and, if you prefer, move your ongoing care to Wimpole Street once the doors open.
South Kensington
- 20 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3DL
- Open seven days a week
- 020 7183 2362
St Paul's, City of London
- 5 Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7AQ
- Open Monday to Friday
- 020 7183 3709
