Are you grinding/clenching your teeth? Do you wake up every morning with a headache and painful jaws? Are your teeth lose and worn out? If your answer is yes, you suffer from bruxism. Bruxism is fairly common: One in ten Americans grind their teeth at night, often without even being aware of it. While it takes some time to find out the exact causes of your teeth grinding, you cannot afford to wait. In order to prevent further damage to your teeth you need a MOUTH GUARD NOW!
The next step is to try the bruxism biofeedback headband – the only device on the market which can actually stop you from clenching or grinding your teeth at night.
There are many different types of mouth guards on the market. Some are custom made and others are available from your health stores. The choices can be confusing and it is not easy to decide which guard is the most suitable for you. To help you make the best choice, we have reviewed the 10 most popular mouth guards and their pros and cons:
The Doctor’s NightGuard “Advanced Comfort” – Full Review
The Doctor’s Night Guard is the best ‘boil and bite’, self-molded dental guard available. Created by a dentist, its patented, dual-layer design has a soft, shock-absorbent inner layer and a hard outer layer. This maximizes durability. It is intended for wear on the upper teeth.
SISU Sova Night Guard – Full Review
SISU has been in the mouth guard game for a number of years and thanks to this, is a company that can be counted on. Though they have been focusing on athletic mouth guards, their night guards are just as highly thought of by their customers.
Archtek Grind Guard | Night Guard Review
The Archtek Grind Guard is designed for an upper-jaw fit, and is also fitted by the customer, using the ‘boil and bite’ method. Clear in color, the thermo-plastic used in its construction does have a low melting point, which can make this process tricky.
StressGard Night Guard | Full Review
TotalGard StressGard ® Night Tooth Guard – Designed by an orthodontist, this product treats both bruxism and TMJ. It does not require molding at home. It is designed to fit either the upper or lower teeth. Two versions are available, StressGard® I and II, each addressing the specific areas where you grind most.
Dental Hygiene Preferred Night Guard – Full Review
Designed by a dental hygienist, this cheap product addresses both TMJ and bruxism. It can be worn on the upper or lower teeth, and is sturdy enough to double as a sports mouth guard. Clear in color, it requires the ‘boil and bite’ method to mold.
Plackers ‘Grind-No-More’ Disposable Night Guards | Full Review
Available in packs of 10, Plackers Grind-No-More ® Dental Night Protectors are inexpensive, disposable, and hygienic. They do not require the customer to mold them at home, as they are designed to function with a looser fit than most other dental guards. Can be worn on upper or lower teeth.
BioGrind(TM) Mouth Guard – Full Review
The Biogrind night guard is unique as it keeps both the upper and lower teeth in place instead of one or the other. This is a do-it-yourself mouth guard, or a “boil and bite” product. It is very affordable, but will not last as long as other night guards on the market. The Biogrind night guard will work for many who have light or moderate grinding habits, but will not be ideal for everyone.
Nava Dental Night Guard – Full Review
There are many night guards on the market and the night guard from Nava is one of the crowd. When purchasing, you will receive two night guards with accessories, but the question about Nava is if it can really hold up to its competitors. With such a crowded marketplace when it comes to night guards, will Nava night guards find a place in the winner’s circle?
“Grind Free” Mouth Guard – Full Review
The Grind Free mouth guard is one of many night guards on the market. Though it was not made to originally serve as a night guard, for many users, it works well to protect the teeth from grinding and clenching. It is affordable and soft, giving more comfort than other mouth guards on the market.
Users’ Choice: ProTeethGuard – Custom Dental Guards
The Good:
ProTeethGuard guards are top of the line, custom made affordable dental guards. It was created by a specialized team of professionals to meet the needs of dentists. They have several different products, depending on your needs. The secret to their affordability is the mold, which you receive as a part of the kit, together with the instructions on how to use it to take the impression of your teeth. See detailed instructions on making your own teeth impression in our full review. Once the Lab receives your impressions, their qualified technicians make each guard specifically for you. Night Guards are made from FDA-approved energy absorbing laminates. The Teeth Night Guard Lab offers both the soft and acrylic versions of Night Guards. Once you try the custom made Teeth Night Guard Lab guards, you will understand the real meaning of comfort.
The Bad:
Let’s be completely clear: any mouth guard is better than none. Cheap off the counter mouth guards will serve the purpose for a short time, as a temporary solution until you can get the custom made guard that will fit your teeth comfortably.
Since we are all different, have different needs and adapt better to some guards than others, it is not fair to mention bad guards by brand. But, some characteristics make mouth guards bad regardless of your preferences.
Bad mouth guards are those that are too rigid to adapt to your mouth and are so uncomfortable that you keep waking up because they irritate you. If the guard does not fit well, it will fall out of your mouth and you will simply stop using them.Some guards are too bulky and are not only uncomfortable, but they make breathing difficult.
Be wary of the mouth guards which have to be heated in the hot water to become pliant enough to adapt to your mouth. Some of them are pretty unstable, and will simply fall apart if heated too long, or will harden too fast, before they are cool enough to comfortably put in your mouth. Read the instructions carefully, and if the product does not perform well even if you follow the instructions to the letter, ask your money back.
Final Word:
Most people chose one or another mouth guard off the counter, believing that the custom made mouth guards are too expensive and that they can be obtained only from their dentists. Since dentists are in the business of making money, they seldom reveal the truth that they do not actually make the guards, but send them to specialized labs to be custom made. It is not in their interest to tell you that there are custom made teeth guards that are affordable and easily custom fitted by each customer. But, as a savvy consumer, you did your research and learned about the custom made guards that are made in the specialized labs without the need to spend a fortune on your dentist. With custom made guards, you will get the most comfortable guard for the fraction of the price your dentist asks for. The best custom guards on the market are made by the ProTeethGuard.com Lab.
