Are you or your child grinding your teeth at night? If you do, and you have already seen your dentist about it, you have probably been advised to wear mouth guards at night. The question now is – what type of mouth guard should you get? Should you buy one of those that are available at pharmacies and stores, or is it better to invest in a mouth guard that is custom-made for you?

To help you make the right decision, here are some things you need to know about your options:

Night mouth guards are thinner and more flexible than sport mouth guards. Both of them look like u-shaped trays that are fashioned to cover the top row of your teeth. And while they are both quite affordable, too, there are differences when it comes to their efficiency.

Generally, we can tell how efficient a mouth guard by how durable it is and how comfortable it is to wear. But we should not discount this important factor – how bad the wearer actually grinds his or her teeth.

STORE-BOUGHT MOUTH GUARDS

A lot of the mouth guards that are readily available in pharmacies depend on what is known as the “boil and bite” technique. That means you’d have to put the mouth guard in boiling water for some time to make the plastic softer. What happens is that when you place it over your upper teeth and bite it, the material will mould to your teeth.

However, depending on your teeth, as well as the mouth guard itself, you might have to do some more adjustments just for it to be a little more comfortable. Because the material is thin, there’s also a risk that you might bite through it. For this same reason, you should be prepared to replace it after a couple of months or so.

CUSTOM-MADE MOUTH GUARDS

To create a custom-made mouth guard for the patient, the dentist will first make a detailed mould of his or her mouth and teeth. The mouth guard itself is made from thermoplastic material. Because it is tailored specifically to fit the patient, it costs a little higher than the readily-available alternative. It’s worth it, though!

First of all, you can be sure that the mouth guard will fit perfectly. That means you’d be comfortable wearing it. It’s also going to be much more durable than store-bought ones, so durable that it can last for years! Depending on your needs, a mouth guard for your lower teeth can also be designed and created for your protection against bruxism.

Protect your teeth from damages caused by nighttime grinding. We can refer you to one of our dentists in your area who can make sure you’ll get a mouth guard that’s comfortable and can last you for a really long time!