Table of Content
Hard vs. Soft Night Guards: What's the Difference?
by Dylan Hao |
Whether your dentist told you that you grind your teeth or you’ve noticed the symptoms and suspected it yourself, you need a night guard to address your problem.
This condition, officially called bruxism, usually happens when you’re asleep. A night guard can help prevent further damage to your teeth and jaw — and the need for costly dental work.
However, as you search for the ideal way to treat your bruxing, you see that dental night guards come in various designs. Do you need a soft or hard appliance, or would a hybrid version be better for your level of grinding?
While it might be tempting to opt for the soft night guard — after all, we all like to be comfortable, especially in our sleep — each type of guard serves a distinct purpose.
Here, we’ll break down hard vs. soft night guards and help you decide which is best for your bruxing needs.
Soft Night Guards
Soft guards are designed to fit comfortably over your teeth with a barely-there feel. Made from soft, FDA-approved material such as modified ethyl methacrylate or silicone, this type of night guard is ideal for people with sensitive teeth.
Although it is soft enough to be flexible and forgiving, the guard is effective against mild to moderate and occasional grinding. However, because it is so smooth, the guard can encourage some people to chew on it unconsciously, possibly triggering more grinding. The resulting reduced durability and thinness mean you will likely need to replace your guard more often.
Soft guards are also porous by nature, making them harder to keep clean. Regular cleaning is necessary to prevent bacteria and stains from developing.
Because of the thinness of this guard, they’re usually recommended for those with mild bruxism or clenching but not grinding.
Soft night guards can also be helpful for people with TMJ disorders. Short for temporomandibular joint, your TMJ is the part of the mouth that connects the skull to the jaw. This delicate jaw joint can easily get overused or displaced, leading to:
- Severe jaw pain
- Limited range of motion of the mouth
- Pain around the face
Research shows that wearing a soft guard consistently reduces strain on the jaw muscles and TMJ, encouraging a relaxed bite.
JS Dental Lab’s Soft Night Guard
At JS Dental Lab, our soft night guards are made from premium dental-use materials sourced from the USA. All materials are BPA, latex, and Phthalate-free.
Your guard should last anywhere from one to five years, although soft guards have a shorter lifespan the more intense your grinding becomes. If you order a soft night guard and find out it isn’t the right fit for you, our company has a 365-day free return policy. We’ll provide free adjustments for up to one year after your purchase. If those changes don’t work, we’ll refund your money or exchange your soft guard for a different option.
When you order, you’ll choose between a top or bottom night guard. While this usually doesn’t matter much, you’ll get the best results using the part of the mouth with the greatest teeth alignment.
For instance, if you have missing teeth on the bottom, choose a top guard. Always ensure you’ve taken care of any issues that need dental care, like loose teeth, before wearing a night guard.
Check out our soft night guard now!
Hard Night Guards
When your grinding is too severe for a soft guard to handle, a hard night guard comes to the rescue. These appliances are ideal for people with moderate to severe grinding and clenching. They help:
- Rreduce jaw muscle activity
- Withstand the pressure of chronic grinding and clenching
- Protect the teeth from bruxing behaviors
Hard night guards are usually made from acrylic, copolyester, or similar rigid materials. They’re thicker than their soft counterparts, increasing their durability and protecting the teeth from severe grinding. Because of their strength, hard guards have a longer lifespan than soft guards.
The downside of hard night guards is the adjustment period. It can be uncomfortable while you’re getting used to having this thicker, bulkier oral appliance over your teeth. By design, hard guards aren’t as forgiving as their soft counterparts made from more flexible material. The hard guard’s rigid structure is what ensures it does the job of protecting your teeth and reducing jaw muscle activity.
Hard guards are ideal for severe cases, with those needing strong protection against grinding to prevent tooth damage. They’re also helpful if you need to manage your TMJ disorder symptoms and your teeth grinding is making the condition worse.
JS Dental Lab’s Hard Night Guard
If you’ve already tried soft night guards or OTC versions and you grind through them, a hard night guard could be your best option. Our guards are fabricated from a special all-hard material made in Germany and designed to absorb the powerful forces of grinding and clenching.
The firm, durable night guards we provide allow your jaw muscles to rest and protect your teeth from the wear and tear of grinding.
We also offer a 3D upgrade for increased comfort and fit, which is especially helpful if your bite alignment isn’t perfect. Although this upgrade takes longer, it gives you improved protection and a longer-lasting finished product.
Hybrid Night Guards
But what if your Goldilocks fit isn’t hard or soft but something else? A hybrid guard is often the just right night guard for many grinders.
Hybrid night guards use a dual-laminate material to merge the durability of a hard guard with the comfort and flexibility of a soft appliance. Together, they provide an effective, long-lasting defense against the bruxism damage.
The effectiveness of a hybrid guard stems from its firm exterior and thin, soft inner layer. The materials used can be hypoallergenic and acrylic-free. This design suits those new to night guards and any mild or moderate bruxer.
Hybrid guards may also reduce jaw and facial muscle pain while protecting the teeth from grinding damage.
JS Dental Lab’s Hybrid Guards
Crafted from high-quality, FDA-cleared materials and made in the USA with dual-layer material, our hybrid guards are built for comfort and durability. Depending on your level of grinding, a hybrid dental guard from JS Dental Lab should last anywhere from 1-3 years.
Whether you have sensitive teeth or need a medium-strength night guard for your bruxing behaviors, the hybrid guard does the job. We also offer the 3D upgrade for the ultimate experience — a perfect fit, a longer-lasting product, and an optimal bite force distribution for enhanced protection.
More details about our hybrid guards here!
Understanding Your Options: Custom-Fit Versus Stock Night Guards
A quick browser search for night guards will likely have you overloaded and overwhelmed with options. There are the quick, cheap, and instant stock guards found over the counter at your local drug store. Then there’s the pricey, top-of-the-line night guard your dentist prescribes and a lab designs for you.
And then there is the in-between custom-fit night guard ordered online and delivered to your door.
Which kind is the best night guard for you?
Stock Night Guards
Let’s start with the most available and affordable — the OTC night guard.
Over-the-counter night guards are the fastest and cheapest options, but this convenience has multiple downsides.
First, the material is a default design that is not known for its comfort or durability. These guards are one-size-fits-most, so if you have a smaller or larger-than-average mouth, this “inexpensive” appliance might not fit. If it does slide over your teeth, it may be too tight or too big.
Both of these improper fits can cause more damage than you already have. Too-tight guards will eventually shift your teeth. Too loose, they slide over your gums and irritate the soft tissue.
Consider your grinding level, too.
Should you have the perfect-sized mouth for an OTC guard, if your bruxism is chronic and more than mild, you’ll probably grind straight through the weak material. This means you’ll end up returning to the drawing board, either buying another inexpensive guard or going for a custom-made night guard instead.
Custom-Made Night Guards from Your Dentist
A custom-made night guard is the way to go if you want your choice of comfort and fit. With this option, your guard is made from professional-grade, high-quality materials created from an impression of your mouth. This ensures a perfect fit and increased protection designed to match your teeth grinding level.
Your dentist can prescribe custom-fit dental guards and complete the impression work in the office. They will then send the mold to a lab (or their on-site lab) to be created. Once it’s finished, you’ll return to the office for a fitting and then schedule your follow-up appointments.
The whole process, including dental visits, typically costs around $1,000, depending on your insurance. Note that most insurance companies don’t cover night guards, but your HSA or FSA funds might apply.
Ordering a Custom-Fit Night Guard Online
A more affordable way to get the same, high-quality night guard at your convenience is to order an impression kit online. At JS Dental Lab, our professional oral appliances can save you time and money.
For a fraction of the cost of what you’d pay at the dentist, our kits are delivered to your door. The easy-to-follow guide shows you how to form your impression. You return it to us, and within about the same time as your dentist would have your night guard ready, we’ll have yours in your mailbox!
Conclusion
Night guards are a marvel of dentistry that continues to evolve. Today’s version of these oral appliances significantly differs from the original uncomfortable and bulky design.
Now, you have choices like hard acrylic, soft silicone, or hybrid dual-laminate to ensure your bruxing behaviors are managed efficiently and comfortably.
While a stock mouthguard is always an option, for maximum relief at an affordable price, head to JS Dental Lab’s easy checkout to order your custom night guard.
