If you grind or clench your teeth at night, it's important to wear a night guard while you sleep in order to prevent your teeth from becoming damaged. Constantly grinding and clenching your teeth quickly wears away at the enamel, which is the tough layer on the surface of the tooth that protects it from cavities and other forms of damage. Wearing a night guard won't stop you from clenching your teeth, but it will prevent your teeth from coming into contact with one another, which stops the enamel from being worn away.

When using a night guard, you'll have the choice between an over-the-counter night guard and having one custom-made by your dentist. An over-the-counter night guard needs to be boiled in water until it softens, and then you bite into it in order to mold it to your teeth. A custom-made night guard is created in a dental laboratory using images that a dentist takes of your teeth and jaw. While custom-made night guards from a dentist are more expensive than over-the-counter ones, they're almost always the better option. To learn three reasons why a custom-made night guard is a superior option, read on.

1. Over-the-Counter Night Guards Fit Poorly

The biggest problem with using an over-the-counter night guard is that it's not perfectly formed to your teeth. Boiling the night guard and biting into it will mold it to your teeth better, but the fit won't be as perfect as one that's custom-made in a lab. When a night guard doesn't fit correctly, it's more likely to fall out of your mouth while you sleep, and it's also less comfortable to wear. Since using your night guard regularly is important to protect your enamel, a custom-made night guard that is more comfortable helps you use it consistently.

2. Custom-Made Night Guards Last Longer

Another problem with over-the-counter night guards is that the plastic is weaker. Since you need to boil them in order to soften the plastic, it needs to be fairly soft and pliable. A custom-made night guard is also made of plastic, but it's baked at extremely high temperatures in order to form instead of boiled, which means that it's possible to use much more durable plastic to make them. An over-the-counter night guard will eventually start to lose its shape due to how pliable the plastic is, and this will make it fit your teeth much worse. A custom-made night guard has much better longevity due to the durability of its plastic, so you'll be able to save money over time by not having to periodically purchase new night guards.

3. Over-the-Counter Night Guards Don't Protect Your Teeth as Well

When you combine the fact that over-the-counter night guards are more likely to fall out during the night and the weaker plastic used to make them, they don't do as good of a job protecting the enamel on your teeth. If your night guard falls out during the night, it's no longer performing the vital role of keeping your enamel protected. If the plastic is badly deformed and worn away, you may end up snapping it in half while clenching your teeth at night. For protecting your oral health, a custom-made night guard is a much better choice.

If you grind your teeth at night and don't have a night guard, make an appointment with a family dental service in your area and have one created. While custom-made night guards are more expensive, they do a better job of protecting your enamel, which helps you maintain your oral health and avoid encountering high dental bills in the future.

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