D9945 — Soft night guard, full arch
D9945 is the soft version of that night guard: cheaper and more comfortable, but shorter-lived.
This is one of three closely related occlusal guard codes. The treatment is explained in full in the occlusal guard guide — this page is about what makes this particular code different.
This page sets out the conditions the code carries, what practices charge for it, how a plan is likely to assess it, and the named difference between it and each of its neighbours.
The conditions built into D9945
Counted — per arch — upper or lower. A quote for "the whole mouth" is two of these, which is the single most common misunderstanding on estimates in this group.
Told apart from the codes it is confused with
D9944 — Occlusal guard — hard, full arch (night guard): It is the hard full-arch guard worn at night to protect the teeth from grinding.
D9130 — TMJ therapy (non-invasive physical therapies): It is non-invasive physical therapy for the jaw joint — exercises, heat, manipulation, ultrasound — rather than an appliance or surgery.
Those two codes and D9945 are the whole group — nothing else describes this procedure. There is no penalty for asking which of these is planned, and there is a real cost to finding out from an explanation of benefits weeks later.
Every code in this group
These codes describe the same broad procedure and differ in one respect each. Each has its own page with its own fee range and coverage notes.
| Code | Procedure |
|---|---|
| D9945 | Soft night guard, full arch — this page |
| D9130 | TMJ therapy (non-invasive physical therapies) |
| D9944 | Occlusal guard — hard, full arch (night guard) |
Questions about D9945
What procedure is D9945?
Soft night guard, full arch. It belongs to the adjunctive general services section of the code set.
What should I expect to pay for D9945?
$300–$750 is the realistic range before benefits. Your own share depends on your plan's percentage, deductible and remaining annual maximum.
Does dental insurance cover D9945?
It is generally a covered benefit in the adjunctive category, 0–50%. Frequency limits and waiting periods are the usual reasons a claim is refused.
What is the difference between D9945 and D9944?
D9944 is occlusal guard, hard, full arch, night guard: it is the hard full-arch guard worn at night to protect the teeth from grinding. The two are neighbours by number rather than by treatment, so seeing both on a plan usually means both were genuinely planned.
Also known as: night guard, occlusal guard, bruxism, teeth grinding, splint, clenching.