The Best Night Guards for Bruxism, According to Dentists
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In this article
We rate SmileSet’s custom night guard the best night guard for teeth grinding in 2026. It costs $149 for one arch or $199 for both, and it needs no impression if SmileSet or SmileDirectClub already has your file. A sore jaw or worn, chipped teeth can be signs of grinding or clenching. A dentist can help you find out what’s causing them. A custom guard from an online lab protects your teeth for far less than a dentist-made guard, and below are the five we recommend.
What You Need to Know
- SmileSet is our top pick. $149 single arch or $199 dual arch, a 30-day full refund, and no impression kit if SmileSet or SmileDirectClub already has your mold.
- JS Dental Lab is the pick for heavy grinders who want a choice of thickness and material, plus the longest guarantee on this list.
- Custom guards from online labs are cheaper than dentist-made guards, but this comparison does not show that they match dentist-made guards in fit or protection. We compare on price, guarantee, and what each company actually publishes.
- See a dentist or doctor first if you snore heavily, stop breathing in your sleep, or have jaw pain that will not settle. A standard night guard can make untreated sleep apnea worse1.
Our Top Picks
Our Top Picks for 2026
Every guard below is made from a mold of your teeth, either an at-home impression kit or a file the company already holds. Prices are what each company listed on October 9, 2026, for a single arch unless noted, and they change with promotions.
| Brand | Price | Arch options | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmileSet | $149 single, $199 dual | Upper, lower, or both | 30-day full refund, remake or adjustment on fit problems |
| JS Dental Lab | $139 to $219 by model | Upper or lower, dual-arch impression | 365-day return and adjustment window |
| Pro Teeth Guard | $179.99 to $219.99 by model | Upper or lower | 60-day money-back guarantee, 1-year replacement |
| Sporting Smiles | $110 to $125 by model | Upper or lower | 90-day warranty |
| Remi | $159 for two guards, or $109 a set on subscription (sale; list $318) | Two guards per order | 45-night fit guarantee |
SmileSet Custom Night Guard
SmileSet sells one custom night guard for $149 single arch or $199 dual arch2. It is made from an at-home impression kit or from a file SmileSet already holds. Shipping is free, delivery takes as little as a week from a completed impression, and every guard carries a 30-day full-refund window. If SmileSet or SmileDirectClub already has your mold, you order the no-impression version and the guard ships straight to you.
SmileSet describes the guard as BPA-free, made in the USA, and finished with a laser-cut edge along the gumline. It publishes no thickness or hardness spec, so that description is all there is to check against.
SmileSet is our pick for anyone who already has a file on record, and a strong pick for everyone else. SmileDirectClub closed in 2023, and our closure guide explains how former customers order from their old file. Read our review of SmileSet’s custom night guards for more detail on this option.
Why We Like It
- $149 or $199 for a lab-made custom guard, with the impression kit included in the price
- No impression needed if SmileSet or SmileDirectClub already has your file
- 30-day full refund, plus a new kit or an adjustment if the guard does not fit
- Free shipping and delivery in as little as a week from a completed impression
What We Don’t Like
- No published thickness or hardness, and one construction for light and heavy grinders alike
- The six-month subscription is preselected on the product page ($119.40 for both arches on the first order, then 45% off), so switch to a one-time purchase if you only want one guard
- No stated dentist review of individual night guard orders
JS Dental Lab Night Guard
JS Dental Lab was our top pick until this update. It moves to second because SmileSet’s no-impression path suits readers who already have a SmileSet or SmileDirectClub file, but it keeps the widest model range and longest guarantee here. It holds FDA 510(k) clearance K210011 for its prescription mouthguard, with PET-G, TPU, and EVA listed as materials in the FDA summary3.
The Daytime guard costs $139 to $149, and the soft guard and the Flex Armor for clenchers cost $149. The Hybrid Shield, a hard-outside, soft-inside model made for grinders, and the all-hard Hard Shield cost $159. The Premium 3D guard costs $189 at 3 mm or $219 at 4 mm.
A quiz on the site suggests a model if you are unsure. Every order captures impressions of both arches, which helps the lab check your bite even if you only buy one guard. If you still wear a clear orthodontic retainer, it offers some temporary protection, but heavy grinding can quickly wear through and ruin the retainer.
Why We Like It
- 365-day window for free adjustments, exchange, or a full refund
- A real choice of construction, from soft to hybrid to a hard 3D-designed guard in 3 mm or 4 mm
- Optional replacement cover for about $39 a year: one replacement in any 12 months for loss, damage, or new dental work
- FDA 510(k) clearance on record (K210011)3
- Dual-arch impressions on every order
What We Don’t Like
- The 4 mm Premium 3D guard costs more than any single guard from the other custom labs here
- You still have to get the home impressions right, and a bad mold means a redo
Pro Teeth Guard
Pro Teeth Guard makes custom guards in a dental lab and backs them with a 60-day money-back guarantee and a one-year replacement warranty. If you grind through your guard inside a year, they replace it free. Shipping is free in the U.S. and Canada, and delivery runs about seven to 11 days after the lab receives your impressions.
The soft guard costs $179.99. The best-selling hybrid costs $199.99, and the hard guard $219.99.
Pro Teeth Guard’s site describes its materials as “FDA-approved.” The FDA clears or exempts devices; it does not approve raw materials4. We could not find a 510(k) record under the company’s name, which does not prove there is none, so we do not repeat the claim.
Why We Like It
- One-year free replacement if the guard breaks or wears through
- 60-day money-back guarantee with free adjustments
- Free redo kit if your first impressions come out badly
- Free shipping in the U.S. and Canada, with Klarna financing at checkout
What We Don’t Like
- Higher starting price than the other custom labs on this list
- No FDA clearance record we could locate, and the “FDA-approved materials” wording on its site is wrong
Sporting Smiles
Sporting Smiles is the cheapest custom guard we recommend, at $110 to $125 depending on the model, with the impression kit included. It makes soft, dual-laminate, and flexible hard guards from a single-arch impression, so the lab never sees how your top and bottom teeth meet. Delivery runs about 10 to 15 days. The product page lists a 90-day warranty and a satisfaction promise with no stated window, and a second kit costs $15 if your first impression fails.
Why We Like It
- Lowest price in the custom tier, with better value on multi-guard orders
- Several constructions to choose from
- A real dental-lab process rather than a boil-and-bite kit
What We Don’t Like
- Single-arch impressions, so the lab cannot check your bite
- Thin guarantee terms on the product page, so read the policy before you order
- Slower delivery than the other custom options
Remi
Remi sends two guards and a case per order. On October 9, 2026, during a sale, it listed $159 for a one-time order or $109 a set on Remi Club, a subscription that ships a fresh set every six months, against a $318 list price. Club reorders cost $89. The fit guarantee runs 45 nights from receipt: Remi will make a new guard or refund the order.
The Remi Custom Night Guard is FDA-cleared as an over-the-counter mouthguard under 510(k) K2517785. Remi says its material is free of BPA, phthalates, methyl methacrylate, acrylic, latex, gluten, and silicone. Clearance does not mean your insurer will pay for it, so ask your plan about custom guards for bruxism before you count on reimbursement.
Why We Like It
- Two guards in one order, which suits people who want an upper and a lower
- FDA 510(k) clearance on record (K251778)5
- $89 reorders on the subscription, if you want a fresh set twice a year
What We Don’t Like
- Thinner guards that heavier grinders tend to wear through
- The subscription keeps billing every six months until you cancel
- Sale pricing comes and goes, so check the current price before you order
Boil-and-Bite Guards
A boil-and-bite guard from the drugstore costs the least and works tonight. You soften it in hot water, bite down, and let it cool around your teeth. It is the simplest kind of night guard for teeth grinding, and the least precise. It makes sense as a stopgap while a custom guard is in the mail, or for very mild grinding.
In a 2020 randomized trial, people had more trouble molding an over-the-counter splint to an acceptable standard than getting fitted by a dentist6. Measured outcomes did not differ significantly, and the authors still recommended dental monitoring. Partial-coverage guards sold online have also been linked to tooth movement and choking risk in a peer-reviewed safety review7. Buy a full-coverage guard, not one that covers only the front teeth.
Why We Like It
- The cheapest way to protect your teeth tonight
- Available at any drugstore or online
What We Don’t Like
- Harder to fit well than a dentist-fitted guard in a 2020 trial6, and a bulky guard can fall out overnight
- Wears faster than a custom guard, so replacements add up
- Partial-coverage designs carry real risks7
How We Chose
We compared each brand on published price, arch options, guarantee and remake terms, and delivery time. We also checked whether the FDA’s 510(k) database shows a clearance under the company’s name. We read each company’s product pages and policies on October 9, 2026, and checked the FDA records ourselves.
We did not run a lab test, and this comparison does not establish that online custom guards equal dentist-made guards on fit, retention, or tooth protection. So this list ranks on what each company will promise you in writing, not on a claim that any of them equals a dentist’s guard. Where a company publishes a thickness or a clearance number, we say so. Where it does not, we say that too.
Custom Online vs. Dentist-Fitted vs. Boil-and-Bite
A dentist-made guard costs the most because you pay for the exam, the impression, and in-office adjustments. Online labs cut the visit and charge roughly $110 to $220 for a single-arch guard from a similar lab process. Boil-and-bite guards cost the least but fit the worst.
The difference between dentist-made and online custom guards is the fitting. A dentist adjusts both how the guard fits over your teeth and how your bite meets against it; an online lab works only from your impression. Every lab on this list will remake or adjust a guard that does not seat.
If you order online, bring the guard to your next dental visit and ask your dentist to check the fit and your bite. The labs here will adjust or remake a guard that does not fit inside their guarantee windows.
The American Dental Association’s position is that direct-to-consumer dental products remove the dentist from diagnosis and treatment planning, and that unsupervised care can cause harm8. The same debate applies to online retainers, which use the same impression kits. That matters most for people whose grinding has a cause a guard will not fix. If you have not seen a dentist about your grinding, book that visit before you order a guard online.
Hard or Soft: Choosing a Night Guard Material
Hard acrylic guards resist wear best, soft guards feel most comfortable, and hybrid guards put a soft liner inside a hard shell. A 2023 systematic review found PMMA acrylic had the highest hardness, wear resistance, and fracture toughness among splint materials tested9. Most of that evidence comes from lab testing rather than patient outcomes. A 2024 trial found a mixed hard-soft splint wore measurably more than a rigid one after six months, with similar symptom relief10.
Thickness matters less than the old version of this page claimed. A 72-patient study found 2 mm and 4 mm splints both improved jaw symptoms11. No study establishes that a 3 to 4 mm guard protects teeth better than a thinner one for ordinary grinding. Which material suits you depends on how you grind and clench, so settle it with your dentist, who can see the wear on your teeth.
“BPA-free” is a narrow claim. It rules out one chemical family and says nothing about the rest of the material. The FDA evaluates the finished device, including its materials and manufacturing, rather than approving individual ingredients4. Treat “BPA-free” and “premium materials” as marketing, and judge a company on the specs and guarantee it puts in writing.
What a Night Guard Can and Cannot Do
A night guard’s proven job is to put a barrier between your upper and lower teeth so grinding wears the guard instead of your enamel12. A well-fitting guard can help protect your teeth, but it may not stop you from grinding or relieve your jaw pain.
Relief from jaw pain, headaches, or poor sleep is a possible bonus, not a promise. A 2024 Cochrane review of 57 trials rated the evidence for splints and jaw-joint pain very low certainty13. A hard stabilization splint showed a possible benefit for chewing-muscle pain. A separate review found no clear evidence that splints treat bruxism itself14.
Several companies on this list, including SmileSet, advertise better sleep and less jaw pain. Read those lines as hopes, not results.
See a Dentist or Doctor First If
Some symptoms mean a night guard is the wrong first step, or at least not the only one. Talk to a dentist or doctor before ordering online if any of these apply:
- You snore heavily or someone has seen you stop breathing in your sleep. A standard night guard is not a sleep apnea device. In a small trial, a stabilization splint raised the apnea-hypopnea index in patients with untreated sleep apnea1. Sleep apnea appliances are prescribed and adjusted by a physician or trained dentist15.
- Your jaw clicks, locks, or hurts most days. Grinding with a jaw-joint problem sometimes calls for a differently designed splint, which means an exam, not a mail-order kit.
- You have a cracked tooth, a loose tooth, or gum disease. Get these treated before you wear a guard over them.
- You wear a bonded retainer or have crowns and implants in progress. Impressions and fit get complicated, and the lab needs to know.
- A child or teen is the one grinding. Kids’ teeth are still moving, and a guard should be fitted and monitored by their dentist.
If none of these apply, ask your dentist whether an online custom guard suits you. They can also check its fit and your bite once it arrives.
How to Take a Good Impression at Home
A bad impression means a guard that does not fit. Most labs here send a replacement kit if the first mold is unusable, though Sporting Smiles charges $15 for it. The kit is the same putty-and-tray system online retainer companies use. Read the instructions before you open the putty, because the working time is short. Brush and floss first, then dry your teeth with a tissue.
Mix the two putties fast and evenly until the color is uniform, press the roll into the tray, and seat the tray straight down over your teeth. Push firmly, hold still for the full set time, and do not rock the tray or bite through to the plastic. Pull it out in one motion and check that every tooth shows a clean edge, including the back molars. If a tooth looks smeared or the tray is showing through, use the spare putty and redo it.
Photograph the finished impression before you mail it. If the lab rejects the mold, the photo helps them tell you what went wrong, and it speeds up the replacement kit.
Frequently Asked Questions
A custom night guard from an online lab costs $110 to $220, a dentist-made guard costs more, and neither one is a cure for grinding. These are the questions readers ask most.
Why are dentist night guards so expensive?
You pay for the exam, the professional impression, the lab fee, and a fitting visit, and fees vary by office and region. Online labs charge for the lab work alone and have you take the impression at home. That is where the savings come from, and it is also why the impression step matters so much.
Hard or soft night guard?
Ask your dentist, who can see how you grind. In lab testing, hard acrylic resists wear best, and in a 2024 trial a mixed hard-soft splint wore more than a rigid one, with similar symptom relief9,10. Neither result tells you which material suits your teeth.
Can a night guard stop teeth grinding?
Not reliably. A guard separates your teeth so grinding wears the guard instead of your enamel, and it may reduce muscle activity, but it is not a cure12. If you want to grind less, ask your dentist about stress, sleep, and medication causes.
Top or bottom night guard?
Ask your dentist; the choice depends on your bite, your teeth, and what you find comfortable. JS Dental Lab captures both arches whichever you choose, and SmileSet and Remi sell both arches together if you want a matched pair.
How long does a custom night guard last?
It depends on the material and how hard you grind. Wear studies show big differences between materials and manufacturing methods, and no fixed replacement interval is evidence-based16. Replace a guard when it cracks, thins, or no longer seats snugly, not on a calendar.
Companies that sell a six-month subscription are selling convenience, not a medical schedule. Daily brushing and a weekly soak, the same routine you’d use to clean a retainer, keep a guard usable longer.
Which guard should I pick?
Choose SmileSet if you want a $149 or $199 custom guard, especially if SmileSet or SmileDirectClub already has your file. Choose JS Dental Lab if you grind hard and want a choice of material and thickness with a year to change your mind. Choose Pro Teeth Guard if a free replacement inside a year matters most.
Pick Sporting Smiles if price is your only concern, and Remi if you want a top and bottom set on a subscription. Keep a boil-and-bite guard only as a stopgap.
Sources
- Nikolopoulou M, et al. (2013). Effects of occlusal stabilization splints on obstructive sleep apnea: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Orofacial Pain, 27(3), 199-205.
- SmileSet. Premium Clear Night Guard (product page).
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 510(k) Premarket Notification K210011, JS Dental Lab Mouth Guard.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Basics of Biocompatibility: Information Needed for Assessment by the FDA.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 510(k) Premarket Notification K251778, Remi Custom Night Guard.
- Gerstner GE, et al. (2020). Over-the-counter bite splints: A randomized controlled trial of compliance and efficacy. Clinical and Experimental Dental Research, 6(6), 626-641.
- Wassell RW, et al. (2014). Over-the-counter (OTC) bruxism splints available on the Internet. British Dental Journal, 216, E24.
- American Dental Association. Direct to Consumer Dental Services (current policy).
- Benli M, Al-Haj Husain N, Özcan M. (2023). Mechanical and chemical properties of contemporary occlusal splint materials: a systematic review. Clinical Oral Investigations.
- Oppitz LR, et al. (2024). Mixed versus rigid occlusal splints for sleep bruxism: a randomized clinical trial. Brazilian Oral Research, 38, e017.
- Bilir H, Kurt H. (2022). Influence of stabilization splint thickness on temporomandibular disorders. International Journal of Prosthodontics, 35(2), 163-173.
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Bruxism.
- Singh BP, et al. (2024). Occlusal interventions for managing temporomandibular disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9, CD012850.
- Hardy RS, Bonsor SJ. (2021). The efficacy of occlusal splints in the treatment of bruxism: A systematic review. Journal of Dentistry, 108, 103621.
- Ramar K, et al. (2015). Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring with Oral Appliance Therapy: An Update for 2015. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 11(7), 773-827.
- Grymak A, et al. (2022). Wear Behavior of Occlusal Splint Materials Manufactured By Various Methods: A Systematic Review. Journal of Prosthodontics, 31(6), 472-487.
Licensed dental specialist focusing on personalized dental content writing and blogging.
Lead content writer and certified nutritionist focusing on clear aligners and teeth whitening.
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