What's the Difference Between a Mouth Guard and a Night Guard?

Most of us have been raised to understand the importance of dental care. We brush and floss regularly to avoid cavities and gum disease. But suddenly, you’re faced with a before-unknown oral health condition: sleep bruxism, and you want to know what to buy to help fix the problem.

Bruxism is technically a sleep disorder characterized by teeth grinding and jaw clenching. Although you might not have heard of it before your diagnosis, it’s quite common. Oral appliances like night guards can reduce the damage to your teeth and gums.

However, as you research your options, you see that the terms “mouth guards” and “night guards” are often used interchangeably. Are these two items the same thing? If not, which one do you need for your symptoms?

This blog explains the difference between mouth guards and night guards to guide your next steps to better health.

Night Guards vs. Mouth Guards

When shopping for dental devices, you’ll find night guards and mouth guards under this category. Both types of oral appliances are made from acrylic resin, silicone, or other durable materials, and you can buy them over the counter or have them custom-made.

From there, they don’t have too much in common. Yes, they both slide over your teeth as a form of protection, but that’s about it — night guards and mouth guards work in substantially different ways.

How Night Guards Work

Grinding and clenching your teeth in your sleep might not sound like a big deal, but it can cause significant damage if left untreated for a long time. 

Try clenching your jaw tightly right now. Next, connect your lower and upper teeth and grind them gently side to side. Do you feel the friction that movement creates?

Now, imagine how tight your jaw muscles would get and the damage that could be done to your teeth if nothing limited the clenching and grinding. 

Envision this harm going on for hours every night. That’s bruxism.

Left alone to keep on grinding and clenching, bruxism leads to dental problems like:

• Chipped or cracked teeth

• Tooth sensitivity

• Gum disease

• Tooth decay

In addition to tooth damage, bruxism also comes with painful symptoms that can include:

• Headaches

• Jaw and neck pain

• Earaches

Wearing a night guard does not stop your bruxing behaviors. You need to figure out the cause of your grinding to do that. There are various reasons you might brux, such as stress or anxiety (the number one cause of bruxing), genetics, a misaligned tooth, or lifestyle habits.

Whatever the reason, a night guard can minimize the damage to your body while you’re trying to stop bruxing. This oral appliance creates a barrier over the top or bottom teeth. Since they can’t touch each other, the pressure on your teeth, joints, and jaw muscles is reduced. You might still clench, but it won’t cause as much harm.

Types of Night Guards

Not all night guards are the same. Some of the major examples include:

Over-The-Counter Night Guards

Under the umbrella of dental night guards, you’ll find the boil-and-bite and one-size-fits-all versions at your local pharmacy. These are cheap and ready to be used quickly but aren’t very durable.

Night guards not designed to fit your unique teeth crevices and crannies can do more harm than good. They’re usually uncomfortable, and if they don’t fit right, they may cause your teeth to shift.

Night Guards From Your Dentist

On the other extreme are the top-of-the-line, custom-made night guards your dentist offers. They’re available in soft options for mild grinding and supreme comfort, hard guards for severe grinding (although they’re less comfortable), and hybrid versions for durability and comfort.

These high-quality, professionally made appliances should fit your mouth like a glove since they are designed from an impression of your teeth. However, they come with a hefty price tag and require multiple trips to the dentist’s office for fittings.

JS Dental Lab Night Guards

Thankfully, there’s a middle ground: JS Dental Lab. Our professional night guards are made from high-quality ingredients and created using an impression of your teeth that you provide. The main difference?

Our guards are a fraction of the price you’ll pay at your dentist’s office, and you can do everything from the comfort of your home! We offer hard, soft, and hybrid night guards, as well as retainer replacements.

Shop our night guards now!

Specialized Night Guards

Some medical conditions can have grinding symptoms but require a specialized splint or bite guard. If you have a temporomandibular joint problem, called a TMJ disorder, or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you may need a different type of splint designed to treat those health issues. Your doctor can help you determine which oral appliance is right for you.

How Mouth Guards Work

A mouth guard is a protective device worn while playing contact sports or engaging in contact activities, hence its alternative name, “sports guard.” This device forms a barrier over the upper teeth, absorbing any impact on the face. 

A sports or mouth guard acts as a protective barrier over the upper teeth. It absorbs the impact of a blow to the face and disperses the force across a wider area. This prevents damage to teeth, gums, lips, and the jaw by minimizing the stress on any single tooth or tissue during a collision.

These devices are made from a special material that absorbs energy from the impact and distributes it across a larger surface area to prevent direct stress to a particular location. There are two main types of mouthguards: one-size-fits-all and custom-fit mouth guards.

Choosing Between Mouth Guards and Night Guards

Mouth guards are used in contact sports to keep your teeth and mouth safe from damage. Like a helmet, they’re bulky and cumbersome but necessary if you’re playing a sport where your head can collide with other objects or players.

Comfort isn’t a necessity; safety is.

On the other hand, night guards are designed to protect your teeth from grinding and clenching in your sleep. They slide over the upper or lower teeth, keeping your jaw from getting the traction it needs to grind.

This barrier is usually enough to reduce the symptoms of sleep bruxism. For that to happen, the night guard must be comfortable enough to be worn all night.

Neither night guards nor mouth guards are treatments. Instead, they protect your teeth, gums, and jaw from damage caused by outside forces.

Night guards and mouth guards are each beneficial, depending on what you’re looking for. They both help prevent dental issues caused by trauma from internal and external forces and protect your tooth enamel and gums. However, only mouth guards are helpful against injury when playing contact sports.

A night guard is the best option for minimizing the symptoms of jaw pain, headaches, and dental issues caused by bruxism. These guards can also improve sleep, so you don’t feel as tired the next day. Patients with mild TMJ symptoms might find that wearing a night guard improves jaw alignment, preventing the clenching that damages the delicate joint.

OTC Guards Versus Custom Guards

Whether you need a protective mouth guard to prevent injury during contact sports or to defend against the damage of bruxism (or both), getting one that fits your mouth is necessary. A custom mouth guard is a piece of contact sporting equipment that no long-term athlete should go without!

For bruxers, it’s easy to find over-the-counter oral appliances that slide into your mouth without any (or hardly any) work. But, as mentioned earlier, these one-size-fits-all guards are bulky and can cause damage if they don’t fit right. They’re also made from material that an average grinder can bite through quickly.

Conclusion

The differences between a sports mouth guard and a night guard are substantial, but both offer protection for teeth and gums. 

Depending on your needs, either could solve your dental health concerns. The key is to remember that a store-bought guard, no matter which kind it is, won’t be as protective or comfortable as a custom-made option.

Our technicians at JS Dental Lab can help you skip complicated dental visits and decide which type of custom-fit night guard is best for your grinding level. 

Hard, soft, and hybrid versions made of FDA-approved material are available to get you on track to better sleep and improved bruxism symptoms!