If you are looking for the best mouthguard for grinding teeth, you are in the right place. Bruxism, the unconscious clenching, and grinding of teeth, may cause various symptoms, such as headaches, loose teeth, local muscular pain, and more. This is a problem that often goes away on its own.
However, you must take the right measures, such as getting the best mouthguards, to ensure its symptoms do not affect you in the long term.
This article explores some of the best solutions for teeth grinding by highlighting:
- Top 10 mouthguards for teeth grinding;
- Factors to consider when getting the best mouthguards for grinding teeth;
- Tips for proper care and maintenance of teeth-grinding mouthguards.
Top 10 Mouth Guards for Teeth Grinding
Save time and money by selecting one of these carefully selected mouthguards that can help you with teeth grinding:
JS Dental Night Guard
JS Dental is a well-known brand rated as one of the best mouthguards for teeth grinding. As one of the leading online providers, JS Dental offers a much cheaper alternative and equally effective mouthguard like from your dentist.
Key features:
- Fully customizable mouthguard
- Premium dental-grade materials
- Seamless process for getting mouthguards
- Lower price compared to mouthguards from dentists, but with similar quality and effectiveness.
- Excellent customer service.
- $1 trial.
- Longer adjustment periods for some users.
Pro Teeth Hybrid Night Guard
Those with moderate bruxism can greatly benefit from the Pro Teeth Hybrid Night Guard. While this mouthguard is made to be effective for teeth grinding, it is also created with the patient’s comfort in mind, hence the soft interior and the hard exterior.
Read our Pro Teeth Night Guard review for a more comprehensive overlook.
Key features:
- Highly customizable mouthguard
- Soft interior for extra comfort
- 60-day 110% money-back guarantee
- 1-year warranty
- Effective for moderate grinding
- Solid customer care support
- No subscription model
SportingSmiles Night Guard
SportingSmiles offers more flexibility and is quite versatile in its functionality while addressing bruxism. These mouthguards come in different models that vary in firmness and durability and also with varied comfort features. This makes it ideal for people with mild, moderate, or even severe teeth-grinding issues. Moreover, they are also ideal mouthguards for people with braces.
Key features:
- A larger variety of options to choose from
- Custom-made mouthguards
- Competitive pricing
- Seamless ordering process
- Made from durable, dental-grade materials
- Free impression kits for retaking impressions
- Brief 30-day warranty
- Weaker refund policy
Smile Brilliant Night Guard
Smile Brilliant is a creation of professional dentists that sought to offer a more affordable and practical solution to teeth grinding. This is a product that has a healthy balance between comfort and durability, as it highly excels in both, giving the ultimate experience and relief to patients with bruxism.
Key features:
- Custom-made mouthguard
- Different models for varied levels of teeth grinding
- Quick turnaround time
- 45-day free trial
- Up to 30% off lifetime reorders
- Quite pricey for first-time buyers
Remi Custom Night Guard
Remi is one of the brands offering mouthguards for teeth grinding at a low price and without unnecessary processes. It offers a direct-to-consumer teeth-grinding solution that is custom-made to fit individual patients based on their impressions.
Key features:
- Solid plastic construction
- 30-day guarantee
- Customized thickness
- Free impression kit with your order
- Free replacement mouth guard in case of damage
- Much less expensive than a traditional dental mouthguard
- Convenient and user-friendly customer service
- 100 percent money-back guarantee within a month
- Comprehensive instructions on how to take impressions
- There is a subscription model to get replacements at a lower price
- There’s only one model which does not help patients with varied levels of bruxism
SOVA Aero Nightguard
The SOVA Aero Nightguard stands out as one of the few mouthguards in the world to put more emphasis on comfort, durability, and flexibility. This is an ultra-thin mouthguard that is created with a perfect fit and doesn’t alter your normal oral functioning while still protecting you from teeth grinding.
Key features:
- Contains perforations to ensure a snug fit
- Made from durable, 100 percent safe materials
- Made out of biodegradable polymer instead of EVA
- 100% money-back guarantee
- Ultra-thin for added comfort
- Quite pricey compared to similar brands
Chomper Labs The Hybrid Night Guard
This hybrid night guard from Chomper Labs offers the ideal solution for people with moderate to heavy teeth clenching. It enables one to get the best pick based on their level of bruxism, with durability and the patient’s comfort at the top of the company’s considerations.
Key features:
- Hybrid night guard to cater to patients with varied levels of bruxism
- Made from comfortable and highly durable materials
- 100-day 100% money-back guarantee
- 6-month warranty
- A perfect fit promise from the company ensures to tweak the mouthguards for free until you get a perfect fit.
- Quite pricey
- Not ideal for aggressive grinders
Dentek Professional Fit
Dentek Professional Fit has been a top-selling mouthguard for many years and still giving newer models a run for their money. It comprises two layers — a soft and a hard layer. The soft upper layer is for added comfort, while the hard layer alleviates the signs of teeth grinding by avoiding it altogether.
Key features:
- Perfect fit comparable to the ones you can get at the dentist
- Boil and bite mouthguard that allows you to create an ideal fit without the fuss and lengthy periods associated with taking impressions
- 6 months of wear without damage guaranteed
- Bulkier than most competing brands
Zero-Grind NightGuard
Zero-Grind comes with a thin design, offering a comfortable, snug fit. This is another top boil-and-bite mouthguard you can get that allows for a good fit without having to undergo the lengthy wait times associated with mail-order mouthguards.
Key features:
- Easy-to-use boil and bite mouthguard
- Made from high-quality materials with hydrophobic fitting
- Custom-fitting mouthguard
- Made with safe and comfortable materials
- Not as durable as most top mail-order mouthguards
ASRL Dental Guards
ASRL Dental Guards are made from dental-grade materials and approved by dentists to offer relief from grinding, clenching, and tapping teeth in sleep. This is a comfortable and flexible product made of Ethylene-vinyl acetate.
Key features:
- Made from dental-grade materials
- Comfortable and moldable to get a snug fit
- Proven effectiveness against bruxism
- Non-slip mouthguard
- You can trim the edges to get an ideal fit
- No subscription model
- Some users may find it challenging to create molds by themselves
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Mouthguard for Teeth Grinding
While we have highlighted some of the best mouthguards for teeth grinding, how do you determine the one that’s ideal for you? Here are a few considerations to factor in when making a decision:
Type of Mouth Guard
According to the American Dental Association, there are three main types of mouthguards: stock mouthguards, boil and bite mouthguards, and custom-fit mouthguards.
Here’s how they all compare:
| Mouth Guard Type | Summary | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock mouthguards |
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| Boil and bite mouthguards |
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| Custom-fit mouthguards |
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The type of mouthguard you also go for is guided by the main reason for getting it. Some people may want to resolve bruxism only, while others may opt for TMJ mouth guards.
Type of Mouth Guard
Mouthguards vary in pricing, with those that offer better customizations, flexibility, comfort, and effectiveness often being more expensive.
However, ensure to consider the features of the product while looking at the cost, as it is not always the case that better mouthguards must be expensive — you can get low-cost mouthguards, too, at a low price.
Comfort and Fit
Ensure that the mouthguard you go for fits snugly and is comfortable enough to be worn for extended periods. Go for products made from soft and flexible materials.
Thickness
Thicker mouthguards are often less comfortable and may appear quite bulky. However, they are the best option for those with aggressive bruxism, while thinner models are perfect for those with mild to moderate levels of teeth grinding.
Ensure to look at the severity of the grinding to help you determine the right thickness to go for.
It is important to note that the thickness of a mouthguard is not directly proportional to its longevity. They are (and should) only reflect the level of teeth grinding of the patient. There are some much thinner models that are quite durable, so ensure to check the durability of the product, whether it is thick or thin.
Breathability
Ensure that your mouthguard doesn’t affect your ability to breathe comfortably. This is because some models tend to cover the entire upper and lower teeth, hence restricting adequate ventilation.
When someone snores and has teeth clenching issues, you should consult with your dentist as you check out these best mouthguards for snoring.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Choose a mouthguard that is easy to clean and maintain. Avoid mouthguards that easily accumulate bacteria and plaque, as they can contribute to oral health issues.
Tips For Proper Use And Maintenance Of mouthguards
Proper use and maintenance of mouthguards are essential to ensure their effectiveness, longevity, and overall oral health. Here are a few tips to consider:
- Wear the mouthguard consistently to protect your teeth from grinding forces.
- Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for fitting, cleaning, and maintenance.
- Rinse your mouthguard with cool water before and after each use, and avoid using hot water, as it can deform the mouthguard.
- After cleaning, store your mouthguard in a clean, ventilated container.
- Avoid exposure to extreme heat as it can distort the shape of the mouthguard.
- Regularly inspect your mouthguard for signs of wear and tear and replace it promptly to ensure proper functionality.
- Maintain regular dental check-ups to allow your dentist to assess your mouthguard’s fit, evaluate your oral health, and provide necessary adjustments or replacements if needed.
- Moreover, your dentist can advise if you require a standard night guard, or you may opt for NTI night guards, depending on your condition.
FAQ
Choosing between hard or soft mouthguards depends on the severity of your bruxism. Softer mouthguards are ideal for those with mild to moderate teeth grinding, while hard mouthguards provide greater protection to those with aggressive bruxism.
Custom-fit mouthguards are generally considered the best for people with teeth-grinding issues, as they offer the highest customization, fit, and protection.
No, mouthguards also have other uses, including in sports and recreational activities, to protect the teeth, gums, and entire oral cavity from impact injuries. Mouthguards can also be used for conditions like temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) to alleviate symptoms like jaw pain and clenching.
Yes, children can use mouthguards for teeth grinding. Bruxism can occur in children due to various reasons, such as stress, and mouthguards can help protect their teeth and alleviate discomfort.
Sources
- Teeth grinding (bruxism) (2023). Retrieved 20 June 2023, from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/teeth-grinding/
- Teeth grinding and jaw pain (2023). Retrieved 20 June 2023, from https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/teeth-grinding
- Epidemiology of bruxism in adults: a systematic review of the literature (2013). Retrieved 20 June 2023, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23630682/
- Mouthguards (2023). Retrieved 20 June 2023, from https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/mouthguards/
- 7 of the top mouthguards for grinding teeth (2023). Retrieved 20 June 2023, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mouth-guard-for-grinding-teeth
- Bruxism Management (2022). Retrieved 20 June 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482466/
