Did you wake up with painful jaws and pain radiating through your head? Wondering how the devil got you while you were asleep? Don’t worry, there’s no monster under your bed! You might have spent the night grinding your teeth or with your jaws clenched. Teeth grinding, technically referred to as bruxism, is a common phenomenon. The cause of this condition remains unknown.
If you’re also a victim of the symptoms of bruxism, there is no reason for fear. Experts recommend the use of night guards to limit jaw clenching and teeth grinding, and thus, their detrimental effects on your oral health. Plenty of excellent night guards exist to help reduce the effects of bruxism.
1. Smile Brilliant Night Guard
Smile Brilliant Night Guard is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a quality custom-fit guard. Smile Brilliant’s night guards measure 2mm thick and can last 3 months. The company mails you an impression kit for making an impression mold by yourself, plus a prepaid envelope for you to return to them.
Smile Brilliant stores clients’ impression molds on file should you ever need a new night guard. They also offer a 45-day trial and a full refund (minus shipping fees) if their product is unsatisfactory.
2. Dentemp OraGUARD Custom Fit Dental Guard
Eliminate the need to visit the dentist for a mouth guard by trying the Dentemp OraGUARD. This guard works well for people with sensitive teeth. Its patented wedge design lowers your lower jaw and slightly shifts it forward to reduce jaw clenching.
You can create your custom fit by boiling your Ora-GUARD for 90 seconds, transferring it to cold water for less than a second, then carefully placing it on your lower teeth and biting down. The Ora-GUARD comes with a 1-year warranty.
3. Chomper Labs
Chomper Labs is also a good option for a custom-fitted night guard. Chomper Labs have three mouth guard models for you to select from:
- Soft – This mouth guard is 3mm thick. Its soft rubber-like material is sufficient for patients with light grinding and slight clenching.
- Hybrid – The hybrid model is 2.5mm thick. It is soft on the inside and hard on the outside to protect your jaws and teeth from moderate grinding.
- Hard – The hard option is just right for extreme bruxism. It is made of a rigid copolyester polymer and its retainer is 1-1.5 mm thick to protect your teeth from shifting due to intense grinding.
Chomper Labs also has a full-fledged dentist’s office you can consult.
4. Sentinel Night Dental Guard
Sentinel’s purchase prices include a full kit that you can use to create a dental impression from home and prepaid shipping for the finished mold. Sentinel’s 3mm Night Dental Guard is especially recommended for patients with severe bruxism. This guard has no silicon, latex, phthalates or BPA. However, you can also choose a 1 mm or 2 mm-thick night guard if your bruxism is less severe.
Their mouth guards are available for both men and women and offer unique fittings for the upper and lower jaw. Sentinel offers a 100-night trial and a 1-year warranty. With proper care and cleaning, your mouth guard should last up to 3 years.
5. Remi Custom Night Guard
Remi also offers good quality and durable mouth guards. Remi’s mouthguards are made from dental-grade plastic that is non-toxic and free from BPA. If you find yourself buying night guards more frequently, you can register for a Remi club membership, which guarantees you a discount with every 6 month mouth guard delivery.
Remi sends their clients two impression kits so you can make two dental impressions from home, just in case a mistake or accident happens with one of them. The card that comes with the kit will also help you make a more informed decision when deciding the thickness of your night guard (1 mm, 2 mm, or 3 mm). The company will also keep your impression safe for future orders.
Remi will send you both a top and a bottom mouth guard to decide which one works best. Their mouth guards are made using dental-grade BPA-free plastic. They also offer a 30-night trial period and free shipping in all US states.
6. Oral B Nighttime Night Guard
Oral B offers clients looking for a cost-effective over-the-counter solution a great night guard. Its semi-fit should be sufficient to give you some relief from bruxism. These go for $20, a significant cut from the $150-$400 custom-fit solutions.
Oral-B’s night guards are also made of latex and BPA-free material. They are also easy to use. Warm the trays in a microwave then place them in your mouth for 3 minutes to create a mold. They will last up to 6 months.
7. Cheeky Mouth Night Guard
Since night guards wear out often, their ability to protect your teeth and jaws reduces with time. Many patients forget to reorder, so Cheeky has a subscription plan that sends replacements every 3 months.
Cheeky also sends their clients dental impression kits for custom night guards and stores their patients’ impressions for subsequent orders. Cheeky allows you to space out your subsequent deliveries to 4 or 6 months, or make a one-time purchase.
8. Plackers Grind No More Dental Night Guard
Plackers is a good option if you’re looking for a quick fix. Theirs is a one-size-fits-all. These guards can be worn on the upper or lower jaw. Even better, they are disposable! Plackers night guards come in packets of 10 and 16 and each piece lasts three nights. Each guard is individually packed for privacy, hygiene, and travel. Moreover, they cost just $4.49 for 16 guards.
9. Sporting Smiles Teeth Grinding Night Guard- Flexible Super Hard
Sporting Smiles Flexible Super Hard Mouth Guard is a heavy-duty guard designed for people with intense cases of bruxism. It is 3 mm thick and can be custom-made to fit you perfectly. This night guard (and all the others on the Sporting Smiles range) is made with clear EVA plastic that is both dense and flexible to offer sufficient protection.
Sporting Smiles will send you an impression kit and will send you a free replacement should the first impression have a mistake. They also offer a 35% discount to clients that order a new mouth guard within the first year.
Conclusion
Many users find relief from using a mouth guard. However, this solution is not perfect for everyone, and the best option is for you to speak to your doctor or dentist to explore other treatment options. If you wear braces or have any other orthodontic issues, you should consider visiting a dentist for professional advice.