If you live in Santa Venetia and you grind your teeth or wake with a sore jaw, a custom nightguard or TMJ splint is a short trip away. From the Civic Center, North San Pedro Road brings you down to our office at 1099 D Street in San Rafael, where Dr. Steve Truman fits each appliance to your bite. Because we are practically next door, the fitting and the follow-up that fine-tunes it both slot easily into your week.
Stop the Damage Before It Shows
Clenching and grinding mostly happen while you sleep, so the wear builds quietly. Enamel thins, teeth chip or crack, and the jaw aches in the morning, often for years before anyone connects the dots. A guard catches that early, while the fix is still a thin piece of acrylic rather than a crown or an implant down the road.
Every appliance here starts with a precise impression of your bite, not a generic tray you soften in hot water. Dr. Steve looks at how your teeth meet and where they are wearing, then matches the appliance to the actual problem, whether that is overnight grinding, jaw strain, or protection during a game.
Three Appliances, One Custom Fit
- Hard nightguard, a shield between your teeth so grinding wears the acrylic instead of your enamel
- TMJ splint, positioned to take pressure off the joint and quiet the morning soreness and tension that come with it
- Sports guard, a real fit for the field so it stays put and you can still breathe and talk
- All three come off the same precise impression of your bite, so they are comfortable, durable, and made to stay where you put them
This Is for You If You
- Grind or clench, especially overnight
- Wake up with a tight jaw, tension, or a dull headache
- Notice teeth that look worn or flat, or feel newly sensitive
- Play a sport and want protection that actually fits
What to Expect
- Evaluation We look at your bite, your wear patterns, and your symptoms, then talk through which appliance fits the problem.
- Precise impression We capture your bite so the guard or splint fits exactly, with no bulk to push out at night.
- Custom fabrication Your appliance is made from durable hard acrylic, built to your bite rather than a stock shape.
- Fit and follow-up We fine-tune it when you pick it up and check it at your regular visits, a quick stop from Santa Venetia.
Why D Street Dental Group
Dr. Steve Truman
Dr. Steve earned his DDS from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry and served as a clinical instructor. He would rather protect a tooth than rebuild it, and he fits each appliance to your bite himself so it does its job night after night. Santa Venetia patients see him every visit, not a rotating lineup.
Serving Santa Venetia
Santa Venetia is one of the closest neighborhoods to our chair, which makes a guard fitting genuinely easy rather than a project. We sit at 1099 D Street in San Rafael, a short hop from the Marin County Civic Center along North San Pedro Road and Highway 101. If you are near the Civic Center, McInnis Park, or the Gallinas Creek waterways, you are only minutes away.
From Santa Venetia, take North San Pedro Road past the Civic Center to Highway 101, head south a short stretch into San Rafael, and continue to 1099 D Street. We are on the second floor in Suite 206. There is street parking along D Street and the surrounding blocks, plus several public lots a short walk away in downtown San Rafael. With McInnis Park close by, a sports guard for a young athlete is a quick stop down the road.
Cost & Membership
A custom appliance costs more than a drugstore version, but it fits better, lasts longer, and actually protects your teeth. We give you an itemized estimate before anything is made. No surprises.
We are out of network for all dental insurance, though we still file your PPO claim directly so you can use your benefits. Our in-house "D is for Dental" membership takes 20% off restorative & major work, with flexible payment plans. See membership plans →
Santa Venetia Nightguard & TMJ Questions
How far is D Street Dental Group from Santa Venetia for a nightguard fitting?
It is a short trip. From Santa Venetia you take North San Pedro Road past the Marin County Civic Center to Highway 101, head south a short stretch into San Rafael, and you reach our office at 1099 D Street, Suite 206. A fitting and the follow-up that fine-tunes it fit easily around a Civic Center workday or a stop at McInnis Park.
Is a custom nightguard better than the drugstore kind for Santa Venetia patients?
Yes. Boil-and-bite guards are bulky, fit loosely, and often get pushed out at night. We build yours from a precise impression of your bite, so it is comfortable, durable, and stays put. Because we are practically next door, the short trip down from the Civic Center is worth the better fit.
Can a nightguard help my TMJ and jaw pain?
A TMJ splint is made to reposition the jaw and decompress the joint, which can ease morning soreness, tension, and related headaches for many patients. Dr. Steve examines your bite and your symptoms before recommending the right appliance, so you are not guessing.
Do you make custom sports mouthguards for Santa Venetia athletes?
Yes. A custom sports guard fits and protects far better than any over-the-counter option, so it stays in place and lets you breathe and talk more easily on the field. With McInnis Park close by, a guard for a young athlete is a quick stop down the road. We make them for all ages.
Request Your Appointment
Tell us what you need and we'll reach out within one business day. Prefer to talk now? Call (415) 453-0744.
Protect Your Teeth and Jaw
New patients from Santa Venetia are always welcome. We'll reach out within one business day.