Can You Wear a Night Guard With Veneers?

Veneers are a popular accessory in cosmetic dentistry. Easy to apply with general anesthesia and minimal discomfort, these wafer-thin dental solutions cover everything from chips and gaps to cracks caused by teeth grinding (bruxism).

Once you go through the process of covering your teeth imperfections with veneers, you want to keep your new smile as long as possible. But the behaviors that may have caused the problems in the first place, like grinding your teeth at night, don’t go away with your cosmetic fix. Instead, you need to continue treating the issue at its root. 

For bruxers, that means wearing a night guard. Can this dental appliance be worn when you have veneers, though?

Absolutely — with a few precautions!

Here, we’ll explain how a night guard can protect your teeth, including your veneers, from future chips and cracks and how to know which oral splint is right for you.

The Relationship Between Night Guards and Veneers

A marvel in the dentistry world, veneers have become a go-to way to cover nearly every tooth-related imperfection. Because they’re easy to apply in the office over a three-visit period, they’re also relatively inexpensive depending on the material you choose. Most veneers are porcelain or a composite material.

Understanding Veneers

Dental veneers cover the front of a tooth as an overlay. They’re shaped and crafted to match the color and appearance of the surrounding teeth. This customization is why it takes three visits for the process:

1. Consultation

2. Impression and shade matching (followed by a break to have the veneers fabricated)

3. Placement

4. Follow-up (if needed)

Applying a veneer requires removing a thin layer of enamel from the front of the tooth. The wafer-thin shell is then applied using a type of dental cement. Because it’s technically a minor procedure, some dentists also require a follow-up to ensure there are no complications.

Although the process isn’t overly complex, a lot of work and money goes into applying veneers. You don’t want your nightly teeth-grinding behaviors to counteract all of that effort, but can you still wear a night guard after having veneers placed?

Let’s explore how bruxism affects your teeth to better understand why night guards help.

The Dangers of Bruxism

Whatever the reason for your previous imperfections, you don’t want to ignore bruxism. This condition is what causes many people to need veneers in the first place!

When you brux, your jaw clenches, causing your upper and lower teeth to make contact. Then the jaw muscles move, grinding those teeth together. Eventually, with enough time and pressure, these movements erode the surface enamel, leading to fractures, chips, cracks, and loose teeth. 

The general first line of defense — and one of the best ways to reduce bruxing damage — is a custom-made night guard. However, now that you have veneers, you don’t want to do anything to damage them, so you might be second-guessing that little handy oral appliance.

Why Veneers and Bruxism Don’t Mix

Veneers are thin shells, not thick enamel. Even porcelain veneers are brittle and easily damaged. With care, the typical veneer lasts about ten years.

Like natural teeth, veneers can become stained from drinking dark liquids or eating certain foods (citrus, acids, and sweets are major culprits). They can also break if you eat hard foods or chew on things like ice, fingernails, and pen caps.

If the grinding from bruxism is strong enough to chip and crack enamel — the hardest substance in the body — the force can also break your veneers. This reality is why the question isn’t, “Should you wear a night guard with veneers?” It’s, “What kind of night guard is right for my new veneers?” 

How to Find the Right Night Guard When You Have Veneers

Now that you know why wearing a night guard with your new veneers is vital if you’re a bruxer, the next step is to find the right one for your particular needs. 

There are various types of night guards, including boil-and-bite, one-size-fits-all, and custom-made. Opting for custom-made means choosing from soft, hybrid, and hard. 

Narrowing down your choices can seem overwhelming, but we’ve compiled a summary of each and the pros and cons to help inform your decision:

Over-the-Counter Night Guards

These are usually the cheapest options, often less than $30. However, they’re made from thin materials that are easy to grind through.

Since they’re made from a boil-and-bite impression, they fit better than a sports guard, but the pliable plastic material they’re made from isn’t very durable. If you’re an occasional and mild bruxer, they could help. But OTC guards aren't usually recommended for chronic and more severe grinding.

Another caution is the limited impression you get from these lower-quality materials. The guard will cover your upper or lower arch, but it won’t get into your smile's unique nooks and crannies.

This isn’t just uncomfortable; an ill-fitting night guard can cause:

• Teeth shifting

• Jaw pain

• Sore soft tissue

Professional Night Guards From Your Dentist

Instead of buying OTC night guards or ordering from Amazon, you can visit your dentist to ensure your oral appliance is explicitly tailored to your smile and made of the highest-quality materials.

There, you’ll have an impression made of your teeth. These molds are then sent to a lab, where your custom-made night guard is fabricated.

The whole process, from start to finish, can take weeks and multiple visits for evaluations, impressions, and fittings. On the plus side, your dentist will guide you as you decide exactly what type of night guard thickness and style you need. The problem is that you’ll pay hundreds of dollars or more for the advice, fitting, and custom night guard.

Professional, Custom-Fit Night Guards From JS Dental Lab

Looking for top-quality night guards without the dentistry price tag? That’s where our professionals at JS Dental Lab enter the picture. 

Our guards are made from top-of-the-line materials like those you’d receive from your dentist. The difference is that you can complete the whole process from home, which saves you big money and time. 

We use thermoplastic materials just like your dentist would design. Depending on the device, your guard could be partly acrylic, EVA, or a dual-laminate made of PETG and TPU. These materials make a comfortable, durable guard that can last for years.

Hard, Soft, or In-Between?

Whether you get your night guard from us or the dentist, you’ll select between soft, hard, and hybrid versions. 

Soft Night Guards

Soft night guards are the most pliable and comfortable. They look similar to the plastic trays used in teeth whitening. Because of their focus on comfort, they’re not as durable as the other choices, but they do work well for those with mild bruxism or sensitivity issues.

Before you opt for a soft guard with your veneers, talk to a professional to ensure it will give you the protection you need to avoid chipping or cracking your new dental restorations.

Hard Night Guards

Hard night guards are the other extreme. They’re excellent for people with moderate or severe grinding. If you’ve had night guards in the past and have ground right through them, the extra strength of a hard guard may be what you need.

Without a hard guard, your veneers are more susceptible to damage from grinding and clenching.

Hybrid Night Guards

The most popular type of night guard is somewhere in the middle. Its hybrid design has a soft inner layer for comfort with a hard outer shell for durability.

This makes them ideal for most people, even those with veneers and other dental restorations. Depending on your teeth clenching level and how well you care for your device, a hybrid guard's lifespan can be 1-5 years.

Keeping Your Appliances in Good Shape

While your night guard will probably not last as long as your veneers, a well-crafted oral appliance should last at least a year or more. Just like brushing and flossing daily help you keep your beautiful smile healthy, properly caring for your night guard and veneers will ensure they last as long as possible.

How to Care For Custom-Fitted Night Guards

If you’ve ever had a retainer, you already know the basics of taking care of a night guard. Since these small devices are exposed to the inside of your mouth for hours every night, keeping them clean is vital.

For regular upkeep, give the guard a daily scrub with warm water and a soft-bristled brush. Once a week, do a deeper clean using baking soda, soap and water, or a night guard spray. Using an ultrasonic cleaner is a thorough and simple way to remove all the microscopic germs once a month or so.

Learn More: How to Clean Your Mouth Guard

How to Keep Your Veneers in Good Shape

Maintenance for your veneers is similar to taking care of your actual teeth. Like any new dental work, you’ll need to monitor the veneers for a few weeks to check for signs that they’re healing well and aren’t loose.

There is an adjustment period while you get used to the sensations of a veneer, especially if it is on your front teeth. You’ll use it more, so it’s extra noticeable.

To help give your straighter smile its best foot forward, follow these tips daily:

• Brush twice a day, but avoid aggressive brushing.

• Use non-abrasive toothpaste.

• Floss regularly.

• Skip hard, sticky, chewy, and acidic foods and drinks as much as possible. If you do eat them, rinse your mouth with water after the meal.

• Use a water flosser to remove the plaque buildup and stubborn debris stuck between your veneers that don’t come out with flossing.

• Avoid habits that overuse your veneers, like biting your fingernails or chewing ice.

Grinders: wear your night guard consistently! This little device forms a protective barrier against the clenching pressure of your jaw and your delicate veneers. 

Conclusion

Wearing dental guards when you’re a bruxer with new veneers isn’t a “Can I?” question — it’s an essential part of keeping your dental restorations safe.

Talk to the professionals at your dental office for more detailed advice on caring for your specific smile, and visit our JS Dental Lab site for your next custom-fit night guard!

Shop Our Night Guards!