Clark Dental crafts custom-fitted sports and occlusal guards right here in Salisbury, NC, using digital impressions instead of the one-size-fits-all trays you find at the pharmacy. As a sports mouth guard dentist Salisbury NC families turn to for weekend athletes and weeknight grinders alike, we build each guard around your own bite for a fit that actually stays comfortable. We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and Delta Dental, and offer flexible financing through CareCredit and Cherry, so getting protected doesn't mean stretching your budget. New patients of every age are welcome. Call Us at (704) 637-0773 to schedule a guard fitting consultation.
A boil-and-bite guard from the drugstore is built for an average mouth, not yours. It can slip during a game, feel thick enough to affect breathing or speech, and wear out fast. A guard made from your own digital impression sits where it's supposed to, holds up longer, and is comfortable enough that patients actually keep wearing it.
Whether your child plays rec league soccer or you're back on the court for a weekend league, a custom sports guard cushions impact and helps protect against chipped or knocked-out teeth. We fit guards for kids, teens, and adults across contact and non-contact sports. For a broader look at how we support active patients, visit our Athletic Dentistry page.
If you wake up with a sore jaw or your dentist has pointed out worn edges on your teeth, nighttime clenching or grinding may be the cause. An occlusal guard creates a smooth barrier between the upper and lower teeth, easing the pressure and helping protect enamel from wearing down further over time.
Every guard we make starts with a digital impression using our iTero scanner, so there's no messy putty tray and no guesswork on fit. That precision translates to a guard that's thinner, more comfortable, and less likely to need adjustment after the fact. Because your guard is made at the same practice where you're already a patient, follow-up tweaks and re-fits are simple, not a separate referral or a new provider to explain your history to. Guard fitting is one part of the wider range of care covered under our Specialty & Advanced Care services.
Your visit starts with a short exam so Dr. Clark can check your bite, teeth, and jaw and confirm which type of guard fits your needs. From there, we take a digital impression with our iTero scanner, a quick, comfortable process with no gagging on trays. Your guard is then fabricated to those exact measurements, and once it's ready, we bring you back for a fitting appointment to check comfort and make any small adjustments so it feels right from day one.
Sports guards make sense for anyone, child or adult, playing a sport with contact risk or fast-moving equipment. Occlusal guards are typically recommended for patients who grind or clench their teeth at night, often without realizing it until a partner mentions the sound or a dentist spots the wear. If jaw pain, headaches, or grinding are a bigger concern, our Bruxism Treatment page goes into more detail on that side of care. And if snoring rather than grinding is the nighttime issue, our Snore Guards page explains a related option worth discussing at your visit.
A custom guard is built from a digital impression of your own teeth, so it fits snugly and stays in place during activity or sleep. Pharmacy guards use a generic mold that can shift, feel bulky, or miss the teeth that need protection most.
Sports guards and occlusal guards are built differently because they handle different types of pressure, so we don't recommend using one guard for both. If you need both kinds of protection, we can talk through options at your exam.
With good care, most custom guards last one to a few years depending on how often they're used and the material chosen. Kids and teens in active sports may need a new fit sooner as their teeth and jaws continue to grow.
Coverage depends on your plan and the reason for the guard, and our team can help check your benefits ahead of your visit. Clark Dental accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and Delta Dental, with details on financing available on our Insurance & Financing page.
A properly fitted guard, whether for game day or bedtime, is one of the simplest ways to protect the smile you've already invested in. Our team can help you figure out which guard fits your situation and get you scheduled for a fitting.
