Hard/Soft Night Guard for Teeth Grinding

Night guards are essential for protecting your teeth and limiting symptoms if you have bruxism. If your dentist recommended a hard/soft night guard, he or she likely believes this type of night guard will give you the ideal combination of protection and comfort. Often referred to as a hybrid or dual-laminate guard, it’s a popular bite splint option.

The hard portion of the guard gives strong protection to your teeth while the soft portion makes it comfortable to wear. To get a dual-laminate night guard, you’ll need to order through your dental office or an online night guard retailer.

What is a Hard/Soft Night Guard?

A hard/soft, or dual-laminate night guard is made of a hard outer layer and a soft inner layer. This hybrid design provides the durability of hard acrylic on the outside, and soft comfort on the inside. It’s made in a dental lab, which ensures the mouthguard is of the highest quality. To get a custom-fit guard, you or your dentist will use an impression kit to create a map of your teeth. Then, lab technicians will fabricate the guard to be a perfect match for your mouth.

A hybrid guard helps with bruxism symptoms because the hard part sits along your occlusal surface (where your teeth come together). This acts as a barrier and stops teeth grinding. It can also help lessen the symptoms of a jaw clench due to the forgiving and soft inner layer. A hybrid guard can even help prevent your bruxing from escalating to TMJ or other jaw joint issues.

Like all night guards, a dual-laminate guard can reduce and even eliminate bruxism symptoms such as:

• Headaches
• Jaw pain
• Facial soreness
• Tooth damage
• Tooth sensitivity
• Earaches

Dual laminate night guards are ideal for people who have moderate to heavy grinding. Maybe you’ve tried a hard night guard in the past but just couldn’t get comfortable wearing it. If this describes you, the hybrid option will likely be more comfortable, which will make you more likely to actually wear it.

Related Articles:

• How Should A Night Guard Fit?
• Retainer Vs Night Guard For Teeth Grinding
• Flat Occlusal Plane

Where to Get a Hybrid Night Guard?

This type of dentistry can be done in the dentist office, but you can also get a night guard directly from an online dental lab. An online lab will send you an impression kit, and you won’t need to take multiple trips to your dental office to get your night guard. Either way, you’ll get a professionally made night guard that fits your teeth perfectly.

Other Types of Night Guards

When your dentist recommends a specific type of night guard, it’s because he or she believes that is the best option for you. However, there are two other main types of custom-fit night guards: soft night guards and hard night guards.

Soft Night Guards

A soft guard is made entirely of a softer, more flexible material. They are ideal for lighter grinding and people who only clench and don’t grind their teeth. Soft guards provide a comfortable fit that is similar to a soft/hard guard, but they don’t provide quite as much protection. Additionally, a soft night guard might wear out faster and need to be replaced more often.

Hard Night Guards

A hard guard is made entirely of a harder, more rigid material. They are ideal for heavy to severe grinding. Some people find that they are not as comfortable as a soft/hard guard, but they provide the most protection of any type of guard. A hard night guard is also likely to last longer, as it will take more force to wear down the hard acrylic material.

Things to Consider With a Hybrid Night Guard

Your dentist may have had reasons for recommending a dual-laminate night guard other than the severity of your grinding. If you have veneers, crowns, or other dental work, your dentist may believe that this type of night guard will provide the best protection.

Additionally, when choosing your guard, make sure you talk to your dentist about getting a night guard for your lower teeth vs upper teeth. Some people find one or the other more comfortable. Again, if you have dental work, your dentist may recommend either upper or lower to best protect that work.

Related Articles: 

• Can You Wear A Night Guard with A Crown?
• Night Guard Online vs Dentist

If you are at all concerned about a dual-laminate night guard, or if you have questions about why this is the best option for you, start a conversation with your dentist. He or she will be able to explain the pros and cons of this night guard for your specific situation, and you can ask questions about any concerns you have.

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How to Get a Dual-Laminate Night Guard

A hard/soft night guard is an excellent option for people with moderate to heavy bruxism, and it’s one of the more comfortable dental night guard options. It will provide exceptional protection for your teeth and jaw, so you can feel comfortable and reduce symptoms of bruxism.

Pro Teeth Guard offers custom-fit mouthguards online for an affordable price. We make our night guards in a professional dental lab, and every night guard is guaranteed to fit comfortably with our 110% money-back guarantee. After talking to your dentist and ensuring this is the right type of guard for you, you can save time and money by ordering directly from the comfort of your home.