Inside Sentinel
Updated September 21, 2026
Every Sentinel night guard is made in our St. Petersburg, Florida lab. We do not send your impression or digital scan to a third-party overseas lab for fabrication. The team that receives your order is connected to the team that makes, checks, packages, and ships your appliance.
Quick answer
Sentinel has made custom oral appliances in-house in Florida since 2012. Your at-home impression or qualifying digital scan becomes the starting point for a guard that is formed, trimmed, smoothed, and checked in our own lab before it ships directly to you.
Where are Sentinel night guards made?
Sentinel night guards are made in St. Petersburg, Florida. We are an independent, woman-owned dental lab—not a marketplace that forwards orders to an unknown manufacturing partner.
That does not mean we manufacture every raw material ourselves. We source professional dental materials, then fabricate the finished custom appliance in our lab. The distinction is simple: the finished guard is made, finished, and fulfilled by Sentinel.
From your teeth to a finished guard
Customers can begin with an at-home impression kit or, if they already have one, a qualifying dentist-provided digital .STL or .PLY scan. Either option gives our lab the dental anatomy needed to make a custom appliance.
1. We review the starting point
An impression or scan has to capture the necessary detail for fabrication. If an impression is incomplete, we address that before moving forward rather than guessing from partial information.
2. We create the working model
Our workflow combines digital modeling and 3D-printed dental models with traditional appliance-making techniques. Learn more about how Sentinel uses 3D printing in the lab.
3. We form and finish the appliance
The chosen guard material is formed over the model, then hand-trimmed and smoothed. This is where the appliance becomes a wearable guard rather than simply a digital file or a printed model.
4. We check, package, and ship it directly
The same Florida operation manages fabrication, fulfillment, and customer support. If you need help later, you are speaking with Sentinel—not trying to trace an order through several companies.
Why make appliances in-house?
For us, it comes down to responsibility and visibility. When fabrication stays in-house, our team can follow the order from impression or scan through final packaging. We can see the materials and workflow behind the appliance, and we can respond directly when a customer has a question about fit, material, or next steps.
That is not an argument that every outsourced product is poor quality. It is simply the operating choice Sentinel has made: to keep our custom fabrication close to the people responsible for it.
Custom does not mean clinical treatment
Sentinel guards are made to create a protective barrier for teeth grinding and clenching. They do not diagnose dental conditions, replace dental treatment, or function as dentist-prescribed therapeutic splints.
What we make in the Florida lab
Our lab makes custom night guards for grinding and clenching, the No-Show Day Guard for daytime clenching, clear retainers, sports mouth guards, custom whitening trays, and tongue-and-cheek biting guards. Each appliance begins with the customer’s own dental anatomy rather than a stock shape.
For nighttime protection, you can explore a flexible Comfort Guard, a firmer Hard Guard, a two-layer Hybrid Guard, or a thicker Durability Guard.
What “made in our Florida lab” does—and does not—mean
- It means Sentinel directly fabricates and finishes the appliance in St. Petersburg.
- It means your order is not forwarded to an overseas third-party lab for production.
- It means Sentinel handles the customer journey from fabrication through fulfillment.
- It does not mean a custom guard replaces a dental exam, diagnosis, or prescribed treatment plan.
- It does not mean every customer’s dental situation is appropriate for an at-home impression without professional guidance.
Made by the people you can reach
Explore custom guards made and finished in Sentinel’s Florida lab.
Explore custom night guardsFrequently asked questions
Are Sentinel night guards made in the United States?
Yes. Sentinel custom appliances are made in our St. Petersburg, Florida lab.
Does Sentinel outsource guard fabrication overseas?
No. Sentinel fabricates its custom appliances in-house in Florida rather than forwarding production to a third-party overseas lab.
Can I use a digital scan instead of an at-home impression?
Yes, if you have a qualifying current .STL or .PLY scan. Visit our digital-scan guide for file requirements and ordering steps.
Can I visit the Sentinel lab in person?
Our St. Petersburg facility is a production lab and is not open for walk-in customer visits. Sentinel ships custom appliances directly to customers throughout the United States.
How long has Sentinel been making custom guards?
Sentinel has made custom oral appliances in-house since 2012.