Night Guards

What is a Night guard?

Night guards are dental appliances that cover your teeth. Dentists recommend them for a number of reasons, and there are many different types. Children and adults alike can benefit from mouth guards.

Most night guards fit over your upper teeth. In some instances, your dentist may recommend a night guard for your lower teeth, as well.

What does a night guard do?

Dentists recommend night guards for many different reasons. You might need one if you:

Grind or clench your teeth (bruxism).
Play contact sports such as football, basketball, hockey, soccer or boxing.
Participate in activities with a high fall risk, such as gymnastics, biking or ice skating.
Snore.
Have obstructive sleep apnea
Have TMJ disorder

Are there different types of mouth guards?

There are three main types of mouth guards. We can categorize them according to purpose:

Mouth guards for sports. These protect your teeth from sports-related injuries. If you play sports like boxing, wrestling, soccer, basketball, hockey or football, mouth guards can greatly reduce your risk for chipped and knocked out teeth.
Night guards for grinding teeth. These appliances help protect your teeth from the effects of grinding and clenching. They may also reduce the effects of TMJ disorders. You wear this type of guard at night as most people grind or clench their teeth during sleep.
Snoring and sleep apnea guards. People with chronic snoring or obstructive sleep apnea may benefit from a custom guard. This type of appliance shifts and re-positions your jaw to open your airway during sleep.

In addition, mouth guards may be store-bought or custom-made:

Store-bought: There are two main types of store-bought night guards. Stock (which you wear as-is, right out of the box) and boil-and-bite (which you can slightly customize at home). Store-bought guards are cheaper, but they’re not as effective as custom-made night guards for protection against teeth grinding. They’re also not appropriate for treating sleep apnea.
Custom-made: A dentist creates this type of night guard to fit your exact dental anatomy. Designed to fit your teeth, they tend to be more comfortable than store-bought night guards. Custom-made night guards provide effective protection against bruxism and sports-related trama. They’re also a common first line of defense in sleep apnea treatment. You can wear them with or without a CPAP machine. (Custom-made night guards are usually more costly, but they last longer compared to store-bought guards.)

Procedure Details

What happens if I need a custom night guard?

If you need a custom mouth guard, a dentist will take dental impressions. (These can be dental putty or a digital handheld wand for this step.) Next, they’ll send your impressions to a dental lab, where a technician will fabricate a night guard that fits the anatomy of your teeth. In some cases, this process can take up to two weeks.

How often should you wear a mouth guard?

It depends on why you need a mouth guard. If you need one to protect your teeth during contact sports, then you should wear it during all practices and games. However, if you need a night guard to treat teeth grinding, snoring or sleep apnea, you’ll likely need to wear it every night while you sleep.

Risks / Benefits

What are the advantages of wearing a night guard?

Wearing a night guard during contact can help you avoid and help reduce your risk :

chipped teeth
Damage to your tooth pulp
Soft-tissue injury to your gums, lips and inner cheeks.

Wear and tear from clenching or grinding your teeth.
Snoring.
jaw pain, headaches, facial pain and other symptoms of TMJ disorder.
Sleep apnea and related complications, including high blood pressure and daytime fatigue

Are there side effects of wearing a night guard?

It can take some time to get used to your night guard. If you purchase one that doesn’t fit quite right, it can cause soreness in your teeth, gums or jaw.

Generally, custom-made night guards are more comfortable than store-bought ones. No matter what type of night guard you have, your dentist can check it and make any necessary adjustments.

Recovery and Outlook

How long do night guards last?

Depending on how frequently you wear your appliance, a custom-made night guard can last several years with proper care. However, some people may find they need a night guard replaced more often than that. Be sure to bring your night guard with you to dental check ups so your dentist can inspect it for cracks or other signs of wear.

Store-bought night guards aren’t as durable. You may need to replace them a few times a year. Children and teens may need to replace night guards more often as their teeth and mouth grow.

How do I care for a night guard?

Night guards pick up bacteria from your mouth. Be sure to clean your teeth thoroughly before putting a night guard in. Here are some tips for how to clean your night guard:

Don’t expose your night guard to extreme heat, such as direct sunlight or hot water. Heat can cause it to warp and change shape.
Keep your night guard in a sturdy, vented plastic case when not in use or when traveling.
Rinse your night guard in cool water and use a brush and soapy water to clean it after each use. Let it air dry.
Store your night guard out of reach of dogs and other pets.

When To Call the Doctor

When should I call my healthcare provider?

If you play contact sports, ask your dentist for night guard recommendations. You should also reach out to your healthcare provider if you have:

Wear and tear from teeth grinding.
Symptoms of TMJ disorder, such as jaw pain, chronic headaches or facial pain.
Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, such as daytime fatigue, headaches, irritability or gasping for air during sleep.

Additional Details

Can I wear a mouth guard if I have braces or dental implants?

Yes. In addition to protecting your teeth, a night guard can protect braces, dental implants and other dental restorations (like crowns and bridges) from damage. Custom-fitted night guards work best. They fit the unique shape of braces or implants.

Does insurance cover the cost of night guards?

Some dental health insurers cover part or all of the cost for custom-fitted night guards. Health insurance policies vary, so you should check with your provider. You can use health savings account funds to pay for custom-fitted and store-bought night guards.

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