Ever wondered what happens after you mail your dental impression back to us?
Most people only see the finished night guard—but there's a tremendous amount of precision, craftsmanship, and quality control involved before it ever reaches your mailbox.
Unlike many companies that outsource manufacturing to third-party labs, every Sentinel Mouthguard is handcrafted right here in our St. Petersburg, Florida laboratory.
In this behind-the-scenes guide, we'll walk you through every step of the process—from placing your order to receiving your finished custom night guard.
Part of Our Complete Guide to Custom Night Guards
This article is part of Sentinel Mouthguards' Complete Guide to Choosing a Custom Night Guard—a comprehensive resource created to help you understand teeth grinding, compare different types of night guards, learn how they're made, and choose the best option for your needs. If you're just beginning your research, we recommend starting with our complete guide before exploring the articles linked throughout this page.
Watch the full behind-the-scenes video below, then keep reading for a closer look at each step.
Step 1: Choosing the Right Night Guard
Every great night guard starts with choosing the right one.
Because everyone's bite, grinding habits, and jaw strength are different, there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.
Depending on your needs, you may choose:
If you're unsure which is best, our Night Guard Quiz can help point you in the right direction.
The better the guard matches your needs, the longer it will last and the more comfortable it will feel.
Step 2: We Ship Your Impression Kit
Once your order is placed, we prepare your custom impression kit.
Inside you'll find everything needed to capture an accurate impression at home, including:
- Impression trays
- Professional dental putty
- Easy-to-follow instructions
- Return packaging
If you already have a digital intraoral scan from your dentist, you can skip this step entirely by uploading your STL file during checkout.
Step 3: You Take Your Dental Impression
This is one of the most important steps in the entire process.
Your dental impression becomes the blueprint for your custom appliance.
A detailed impression captures:
- Every tooth
- Gum contours
- Bite anatomy
- Natural alignment
If an impression isn't perfect, we'll often recommend taking another one before fabrication begins. We'd much rather spend an extra day getting it right than manufacture a guard that doesn't fit properly.
Step 4: Your Impression Arrives at Our Laboratory
When your package arrives, our technicians carefully inspect every impression.
We're checking for:
- Complete tooth capture
- Proper depth
- No major voids or bubbles
- Clear anatomy
- Proper tray positioning
Only impressions that meet our quality standards move forward to production.
Step 5: We Digitally Scan Your Impression
Once approved, your impression is digitized using a high-resolution laboratory scanner.
This creates an incredibly accurate digital 3D model of your teeth.
The digital model allows us to:
- Preserve your impression indefinitely
- Manufacture future guards without another impression (when appropriate)
- Verify every detail before fabrication begins
This digital workflow improves both consistency and long-term convenience.
Step 6: We 3D Print Your Dental Model
Many people assume we're 3D printing the night guard itself.
We're not.
Instead, we 3D print an extremely accurate model of your teeth.
This printed model becomes the foundation for building your custom appliance.
This hybrid approach combines modern digital technology with time-tested manufacturing techniques that produce exceptional strength, clarity, and durability.
Step 7: Your Night Guard Is Thermoformed
Now the transformation begins.
Using professional dental equipment, we heat specialized thermoplastic material until it becomes perfectly moldable.
The material is then pressure-formed over your custom 3D printed model.
This process allows the material to wrap precisely around every contour of your teeth.
It's this step that creates the snug, custom fit people expect from a professionally made night guard.
Looking at the amount of precision involved—from digital scanning and 3D printing to pressure forming, hand trimming, polishing, and multiple quality inspections—it's easier to understand why professionally made custom night guards cost more than boil-and-bite alternatives. If you're curious where the cost comes from, read our guide: Why Are Custom Night Guards So Expensive? In it, we break down the materials, equipment, skilled labor, and quality control that go into every custom appliance.
Step 8: Hand Trimming and Shaping
At this point, the guard still looks rough.
Our technicians carefully hand trim away excess material before refining every edge.
Each guard is individually shaped to provide:
- Comfortable edges
- Proper coverage
- Smooth contours
- Excellent retention
No two night guards are exactly alike because no two mouths are exactly alike.
Step 9: Polishing and Finishing
After shaping comes polishing.
This is where the appliance begins to look like the finished product.
The guard is polished until it's:
- Smooth
- Comfortable
- Crystal clear
- Easy to clean
Proper finishing also helps eliminate sharp edges that could irritate your tongue or gums.
Step 10: Final Quality Control
Before any night guard leaves our lab, it goes through one final inspection.
Our technicians verify:
- Fit accuracy
- Material quality
- Proper trimming
- Surface finish
- Overall craftsmanship
If something doesn't meet our standards, it doesn't ship.
Simple as that.
Step 11: Cleaning, Packaging, and Shipping
Once approved, your custom night guard is thoroughly cleaned and packaged.
Your shipment includes:
- Your finished custom night guard
- Protective storage case
- Care instructions
The package is then shipped directly to your door, ready to help protect your teeth from grinding and clenching.
Why We Manufacture Everything In-House
One of the biggest differences between Sentinel and many direct-to-consumer brands is that we manufacture every appliance ourselves.
Because we control every step of production, we're able to:
- Maintain consistent quality
- Catch problems before they become expensive remakes
- Produce faster turnaround times
- Continuously improve our manufacturing process
- Provide better customer support when adjustments are needed
We're not simply placing orders with an outside lab—we're the lab.
When comparing custom night guard companies, it is helpful to look beyond the finished product and understand who actually makes the appliance, how long production takes, what guard options are available, and what happens if the fit needs to be adjusted. We explore these differences in greater detail in our Sentinel Mouthguards vs. Remi Night Guards and Sentinel Mouthguards vs. Cheeky comparison articles, including materials, turnaround times, impression options, guarantees, warranties, and overall value.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to make a custom night guard?
Once we receive and approve your impression or digital scan, most custom night guards are fabricated within 3–5 business days before shipping.
Are custom night guards really handmade?
Yes.
While digital scanning and 3D printing help improve precision, each Sentinel night guard is individually thermoformed, hand trimmed, polished, inspected, and packaged by our laboratory technicians.
Are night guards 3D printed?
Not usually.
In our process, we 3D print the dental model—not the night guard itself. The guard is then pressure-formed over that model using professional dental materials.
Can I use a digital scan instead of an impression?
Absolutely.
If your dentist provides an STL file from an intraoral scan, you can upload it during checkout instead of taking an at-home impression.
See How Your Custom Night Guard Is Made
Every custom night guard represents hours of careful work—from your first impression to the final polish.
Behind every finished appliance is a team of technicians committed to precision, comfort, and quality.
If you're ready for a professionally made custom night guard, we'd be honored to make one for you.
Conclusion
Every custom night guard we make represents more than just a piece of dental material—it's the result of careful planning, skilled craftsmanship, and multiple quality checks designed to help protect your smile for years to come. From the moment your impression or digital scan arrives at our laboratory to the final inspection before shipping, every step is completed with precision because we know your comfort, fit, and protection matter.
At Sentinel Mouthguards, we believe that understanding how your night guard is made helps explain why a truly custom appliance feels different than a generic, one-size-fits-all alternative. A properly fabricated guard doesn't just protect your teeth from grinding and clenching—it should fit comfortably, last through daily use, and give you confidence every time you wear it.
Whether you're ordering your first night guard or replacing one you've worn for years, we hope this behind-the-scenes look has given you a greater appreciation for the care and expertise that goes into every appliance we produce in our St. Petersburg, Florida laboratory.
If you're ready to get started, you can take our Night Guard Quiz to find the best option for your needs, upload a digital STL scan from your dentist, or order one of our easy-to-use at-home impression kits. We look forward to making a custom night guard that's crafted specifically for your smile.