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Published September 2026

1 of 5Grinding at night wears down the biting edges of the teeth
  1. Grinding at night wears down the biting edges of the teeth
  2. A quick scan, or a soft impression, captures the shape of the arch
  3. A lab makes a guard shaped to your own teeth
  4. The guard seats over the teeth. It comes out in the morning
  5. Grinding now meets plastic instead of enamel, and the jaw muscles rest

Who usually does it

general dentist. Made in any general office; a lab makes the guard.

One question worth asking

Hard or soft for a case like mine, and how long should one last?

Hard nightguard, full arch

Mouthguards and appliancesMajorD9944

D9944. A rigid guard covering all the teeth in one arch; the standard nightguard.

A custom-made guard worn while sleeping to protect teeth from grinding and clenching and to ease jaw muscle strain. Codes differ by hard or soft material and by whether it covers the whole arch or part of it, plus adjustment and repair.

An impression or scan is taken and a lab makes a guard that fits over one arch, then it is adjusted in the mouth so the bite meets evenly on it. Hard acrylic lasts longer; soft versions are more comfortable but wear through faster. Codes differ by material and by whether it covers the whole arch or part of it, with separate lines for adjusting and repairing one. Most plans file this as Major. What they actually pay varies by plan.

Codes for this

D9942BasicRepairing or relining a nightguardFixes a cracked guard or refits its inside surface.per arch · Done sometimesD9943BasicAdjusting a nightguardA small adjustment so the guard fits and bites evenly.per visit · Done sometimesD9944MajorHard nightguard, full archA rigid guard covering all the teeth in one arch; the standard nightguard.per arch · Done oftenD9945MajorSoft nightguard, full archA softer, more flexible guard covering the whole arch.per arch · Done sometimesD9946MajorHard nightguard, partial archA rigid guard covering only the front teeth.per arch · Rarely done
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Part of these flowsGrinding, worn teeth and a nightguard

Related

Hard nightguard, full arch (D9944): what happens, step by step | TruthMolar