Night Guard Online vs Dentist
6th Dec 2020
A mouthguard for bruxism is one of the best and simplest lines of defense against side effects and damage when you grind and clench your teeth. It works by creating a barrier between your top and bottom teeth. A professional night guard from your dentist often costs $500 and up. There are cheaper options available, but as you evaluate a night guard online vs dentist night guards, remember that not all night guards are created equal. Before you buy a night guard online, find out how it stacks up to one you would get from the dentist.
Night Guard Online vs Dentist: What Makes It Different?
Process of Ordering a Night Guard
The first major difference between dentist night guards and online night guards is the process you need to go through to procure your guard. Following is the process for a dentist mouthguard, which can take up to a month or more:
- Visit your dentist to get impressions of your teeth
- Return to your dentist a few weeks later to try on the night guard
- Go home to wear your night guard for a couple weeks
- Return to the dentist to have your fit checked
- Repeat if necessary
Following is the process for an online custom-fit night guard, which takes about three to four weeks:
- Order an impression kit online
- Take impressions of your teeth at home once your impression kit arrives in the mail
- Send your night guard impression kit back to have your night guard fabricated
- Receive your night guard in the mail
Following is the process for a one-size-fits-all mouthguard, which can take as little as one day:
- Choose and buy a night guard either in a drugstore or at an online retailer such as Amazon. That’s it!
Quality, Fit, and Material: Online vs Dentist
When it comes to quality, a dentist night guard and custom-fit online night guard are very similar. Both are created in a professional dental lab using an impression of your teeth. This creates a snug fit for your mouth. An over-the-counter night guard, however, is designed to fit any mouth; it is not going to have the same professional quality, and it won’t fit your mouth as snugly.
All types of night guards can be customized for your top or bottom teeth. Regardless of where you get your night guard, talk to your dentist about whether an upper or lower night guard is better for you. It is worth nothing that professional night guards are fabricated to cover every tooth on either your top or bottom occlusal surface, while some one-size-fits-all night guards do not cover every tooth surface. This can lead to incomplete protection as well as problems with your bite.
Because of the higher quality and better fit of a custom night guard online or from your dentist, this type is also more likely to be comfortable. A one-size-fits-all guard is more likely to slide out of place or feel uneven in your mouth. With dentist and custom-fit online night guards, you’ll have a choice between hard, soft, or hybrid night guards. A boil-and-bite night guard might also be hard or soft, but the material won’t be as thick and durable as a professional guard.
- Most Popular
- Hard Outside, Soft Inside
- 2MM Thick
- Moderate / Heavy
- Most Durable
- Hard Materials
- 1.5MM Thick
- Heavy / Severe
- For Day Time Use
- Thin, Barely Visible
- 1MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
- For Clenching
- Flexible & Soft
- 1.5MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
When you get a night guard from your dentist, he or she will likely choose the thickness of your guard based on the severity of your bruxism. If you buy a custom-fit guard online, check in with your dentist to find out the best thickness for your bruxism. If you choose a night guard that is too thin, you may wear through the material quickly and need to purchase another guard.
The bottom line is that a custom-fit night guard from an online retailer is extremely similar in quality to a night guard from your dentist. The major benefit of an online night guard is that you don’t need to take multiple trips to your dentist’s office to get your guard, although you should have a discussion with your dentist regarding the specifics of your night guard before you order. The cost of an online night guard will make you smile, too.
The Cost of a Night Guard
An online night guard company may not directly participate with insurance, but your insurance provider might be able to provide reimbursement if you submit a receipt. Your dentist may need to confirm you suffer from teeth clenching or grinding.
Without insurance, a night guard from the dentist typically costs about $500. A custom-fit night guard from an online retailer typically costs around $100-$200, while a one-size-fits-all night guard often costs around $10-$15.
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How Night Guards Help Bruxism
Dentists and professional online night guards work effectively to protect your teeth from bruxism. This protection includes reducing dental night guard side effects such as jaw pain, sore jaw muscles, TMJ, and worn tooth enamel. When you’re grinding your teeth at night, it creates a barrier that prevents your top and bottom teeth from coming into contact with each other. The protection of a good night guard also reduces the risk of tooth damage, which can include cracking and chipping. Because online night guards are made in the same types of dental labsnight guards from your dentist are made in, the quality is almost identical. Typically, one-size-fits-all night guards don’t provide as much protection for teeth grinding.
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To save money and still get a quality night guard that feels comfortable, Pro Teeth Guard offers night guards that are the same quality as a dental night guard from your dentist’s office. They are fabricated in a professional lab, and they could save you hundreds of dollars.
- Most Popular
- Hard Outside, Soft Inside
- 2MM Thick
- Moderate / Heavy
- Most Durable
- Hard Materials
- 1.5MM Thick
- Heavy / Severe
- For Day Time Use
- Thin, Barely Visible
- 1MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
- For Clenching
- Flexible & Soft
- 1.5MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
