Stock, or Ready-Made: This over-the-counter night guard is the most economical option, but is rarely recommended by dentists. Since these mouth guards are bought pre-formed, they are often ill-fitting and bulky and can make talking and breathing more difficult.
Mouth adapted, or “Boil and Bite”: While still not ideal as a long-term solution as it can sometimes cause changes in the bite, this type of mouth guard is a step above the preformed ones. Here, you heat the guard to soften it, then bite into the guard to adapt the shape to your mouth. Here’s what we’ve found before when searching for over-the-counter night guard options:
Also, check out this video. This helps to show the damage grinding/clenching can do to your teeth.
Custom-Made: Naturally, something crafted to the exact specifications of your teeth and bite is going to offer you the best protection. At our office in Chicago mouth guards come in two varieties: a soft occlusal guard for lower teeth, made on-site, and a hard upper guard produced in collaboration with a local lab. Each type of night guard involves the same simple, two-step process. We first bring you in for a set of impressions so we know exactly what we need to fabricate. Impressions for mouth guards are quick and easy, taking only about 15 minutes to accomplish. We then bring you back in a week to a week and a half to pick up your appliance, make sure everything fits, and deliver any additional instructions needed. Simple as pie!
