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Nightguards act as a physical barrier between your upper and lower teeth. They reduce damage caused by grinding (bruxism) during sleep.
Nightguards are typically made of a clear acrylic material.
You can visit your dentist for a custom night guard, order a custom night guard kit online, or buy a non-custom nightguard over the counter from a drugstore.
Everything We Recommend
JS Dental Lab Night Guards — Best if you need a durable design
Pro Teeth Guard — Best if you need a night guard fast
Remi Custom Night Guards — Best for severe teeth grinding
Cheeky Mouthguard — Best if you want to prioritize comfort
Sporting Smiles — Best if you're on a budget
Chomper Labs — Best if you want a customer satisfaction guarantee
| Cost | Material | Fit | Guarantee | Processing Period | |
| JS Dental Lab Night Guards | $125 to $185 | dental-grade dual-laminate material | custom | 1-year free adjustment or return | 7 to 10 days after mailing back impressions |
| Pro Teeth Guard | $169.99 to $209.99 | acrylic plastic | custom | 60-day 110% refund | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Remi | $139 (subscription) $179 (single purchase) |
BPA-free, dental-grade plastic | custom | 30-day return or refund | 2 weeks after a confirmation email |
| Cheeky | $155 (single purchase) $235 (subscription) |
soft thermoplastic or hard acrylic | custom | 30-night full refund | 3 weeks |
| Sporting Smiles | $90 to $105 | BPA-free plastic | custom | 30-day warranty | 12 to 18 business days |
| Chomper Labs | $149 to $169 | copolyester or TPU/EVA material | custom | 100-day return or refund | 2.5 weeks |
Dental experts generally recommend a hard nightguard made of more durable material. Soft night guards can encourage more jaw activity, making them less effective for teeth grinding and clenching.
It is also best to have a thicker night guard because it can last longer, and the bite plane is flatter. A flatter bite plane leads to less pressure on the jaw muscles and TMJ joints and less friction on your opposing teeth.
Here are some of the best nightguards:
JS Dental Lab offers five kinds of night guards that are customizable to your needs. They also offer free returns or adjustments for one year.
Their night guards are of premium quality as they have been creating dental products for over 20 years. JS Dental Lab's designs are made to be durable so that they only get more comfortable to wear over time.
Once you create your order on the JS Dental Lab website, they will send over an impression kit. This also contains a comprehensive guide booklet.
Once you take your impressions, mail them back to the company. It will take 7 to 10 days for you to receive your completed night guard.
JS Dental Lab also offers trial orders for $1. If you decide to keep your night guard, they will process the remaining balance 28 days from the date you placed your trial order.
Pros:
Cons:
Pro Teeth Guard offers four kinds of night guards depending on the severity of your teeth grinding or clenching. If you’re unsatisfied with their product within 60 days, they give you 110% of your money back.
Their processing period is one of the fastest, as it only takes 1 to 2 weeks from start to finish. They’re a professional lab that also offers services to dentists in their area.
Once you place your order on their website, Pro Teeth Guard will send an impressions kit within 2 to 4 business days. Take your impressions within 15 minutes and mail them back using your pre-paid return envelope.
It takes 7 to 11 business days before you receive your custom night guards.
Pros:
Cons:
Remi lets you customize the thickness of your night guard. You can opt for 1.3mm or 2 mm. They also come with a top and bottom guard in one order.
The device is designed to ensure comfort even if you have severe bruxism. Their subscription service offers a new replacement every 6 months to prevent bacteria buildup and discomfort.
However, dental experts recommend keeping your night guard for more than 6 months. This appliance is meant to last for at least 3 to 5 years. The more you wear them, the better they'll fit and function.
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Cheeky uses 3D technology to design customized nightguards. Once they receive your teeth impressions, they replicate them using the technology.
They only offer two nightguards: soft and hard/soft, a combination of a soft interior with a hard exterior.
It’s a limited selection, but they include both in one purchase. You can decide which one suits your preferences best.
Pros:
Cons:
Sporting Smiles is one of the best brands if you’re looking for customized night guards on a budget. Their prices begin at $90.
How much money you spend will depend on your needs. If you’re a heavy teeth grinder, you may need to spend a little more than their initial price.
Pros:
Cons:
Chomper Labs has one of the longest money-back guarantee programs. They also offer to replace your nightguard if you’re unsatisfied with it. You only need to pay for shipping.
Chomper Labs is also a full-service dental lab. This allows them to accept fully customized orders. You can contact them if none of their offered night guards suit you.
Other advantages and disadvantages include:
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People often grind their teeth because of stress and anxiety. It is common in both children and adults.
Many children grind their teeth before their permanent molars erupt. Adults do it when they’re concentrating, stressed, or worried.
If left untreated, teeth grinding can cause tooth damage. It can also cause inflammation around the ears, which may resemble hearing loss or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).
Dentists recommend using custom-fitted night guards. They fit around your teeth perfectly and are less likely to dislodge during use.
If you're worried about the cost, over-the-counter night guards can be a good temporary solution before investing in a more expensive custom-fitted one.
While a night guard can prevent bruxism-related teeth damage, it may not address the underlying cause.5,6,7 Jaw muscle clenching and bruxism are common, normal stress responses.8 They can also be responses to poor breathing.9
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help manage the stress and anxiety that causes teeth grinding. Other treatments include:
Ready-to-wear or stock night guards come as one-size-fits-all. They’re affordable and easy to find in stores, but they're often made with cheap material that doesn't fit around your teeth well.
Boil-and-bite night guards are similar to ready-to-wear ones, except they fit your teeth better. They’re made from thermoplastics, which soften with heat.
You can make the night guard soft and pliable by placing it in hot (not boiling) water. You can then fit the night guard onto your teeth.
After placing it in your mouth, press it onto your teeth and bite down on it. Run it under cold water to harden it again.
Custom-fitted night guards provide the most tailored fit to your unique teeth and bite. They’re also made from more durable materials.
To make a custom-fitted night guard, your dentist will make impressions of your teeth. A dental lab will then use those impressions to create your night guard.
A custom night guard is likely to be the most comfortable and effective at protecting your teeth, especially if you have braces or dental implants.
Night guards can be suitable for people who grind their teeth at night.3 They can prevent damage to natural teeth and dental restorations, like crowns and implants, if you have any.
Some doctors recommend night guards for people with sleep apnea because they can maintain jaw position, which prevents airway obstruction. One study also found they may also reduce occurrences of canker sores.4
Consult your doctor or dentist if you think you need a night guard.
Caring for your night guard involves keeping it clean and avoiding damage. To keep your night guard clean, follow a daily cleaning routine, just as you do for your teeth.
Do the following every day to keep your night guard clean:
At least once a month, you should deep clean your night guard. You can do this with an over-the-counter (OTC) denture cleaning solution or a vinegar and hydrogen peroxide mixture.
If you’re using a denture solution, follow the instructions carefully. Avoid denture solutions that contain artificial fragrances or dyes.
If you’d prefer to use vinegar and peroxide:
After deep cleaning, store your night guard in its case.
Just as it’s important to clean your night guard, you should also be sure not to do anything that might damage or weaken it.
Do not:
A custom-fitted night guard can last up to 3 to 5 years if cared for properly. No matter what kind of night guard you have, be sure to keep it clean and damage-free for as long as you can.
People with bruxism sometimes use night guards. Bruxism is a condition where people grind or clench their teeth during sleep or in the daytime.
Teeth grinding and clenching can cause tooth enamel to wear away. This condition is often caused by anxiety and stress.
You can try several therapies to address the underlying cause. However, if nothing helps, you can use a night guard to minimize the damage caused by bruxism.
Most night guards are for the upper teeth. However, some companies and dental labs create nightguards for the upper and lower teeth.
Most insurance plans don't cover night guards. However, if your dentist states they're medically necessary, your insurance could cover part of the cost.
A mouthguard is commonly worn during sports to protect people's teeth from contact injuries. It's made of thick and slightly soft material that can absorb impact.
A night guard is usually worn during sleep. It is made of thin but tough materials like dental-grade plastic or acrylic.
Your night guard is meant to last for at least 3 to 5 years. The more you wear it, the more comfortable it will feel as you break into them.
The processing time for night guards depends on your dentist and the dental lab. Some direct-to-consumer brands take as little as one week because they have their own lab to create the dental appliances.
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