Mouth guard - dental grinding, what to buy?

[Muncher]

So I wake myself up at night grinding my teeth. Never happened before - must be the stress from this financial crisis!

I don't want to ask my dentist as it will cost me several hundred dollars for him to customise a mouth guard for me. Anyone have recommendations on how to buy a "generic" one (obviously I can't try it on and return it, yuk!), where to get it, and a recommended brand and approximate price?

[_protege_]

When you grind your teeth at night while you sleep, it is known as bruxism.

I don't think generic ones are effective, only the ones that are designed for you are. I'm not 100% sure though, you should talk to your dentist.

[Shaner]

A generic one will be fine. All generic ones can be molded to fit your mouth within 5 minutes.

I believe you can get them at Shoppers drug mart for pretty cheap.

[instanoodles]

I have the moulding kind and I find that they never stay in my mouth the whole night, I guess it depends on how hard you grind your teeth.

[Setz]

Why couldn't you return a used mouthguard? I imagine it's no different then returning a used deodorant.

[molala]

Do you know grinding of your teeth could be caused by presence of worm in your body? Go talk to your GP and see what he/she say!

[CSK'sMom]

Wow Aritzia, I think your dentist is overcharging you. Both our oldest and myself are grinders. Oldest got his guard 6 months ago and I just picked up my new one (broke the last one) and they were just under $250 each ($226 IIRC). I got over 3 years out of my last one. Our dentist does the NBlock type for us though, they aren't just a regular moulded mouthguard like a sports one. Ours have a square block of material that sits over the front teeth that won't allow contact of the teeth at all. If you bite down the block contacts first and because it's under the front teeth automatic reflex kicks in.

[Muncher]

Yeeugh, looked up worms + teeth grinding. Seems like it could be pinworms. I feel sick. Must go get parasite cleanse!

[Gloaming]

Should only cost 200-300 including the lab fee. They are thermoacrylic and much thinner than an athletic guard. If finances are tight, you can try the athletic guard but most people find the soft rubber stimulates grinding. Oh- ignore the "worm" people, most people grind their teeth at some point or another in their life.

[OceanDrop]

A mouthguard and a nightguard are not the same thing...

You need a nightguard, for which there is no generic option. It's made from a cast, and costs around $250.

If you buy a mouthguard, it's not meant for sleeping and could impede your airway, plus they're soft enough for a true bruxer to bite through within a couple of nights.

Edit: I should mention that the majority of my clients don't like the guards once they try them, and they try them for a couple of nights and never wear them again. So if money is tight, consider trying to find a cause first and work with that (reduce stress, etc.) If you're finding yourself with a sore jaw and/or headaches, then I'd try the guard.

[caliente]

Wow Aritzia, I think your dentist is overcharging you. Both our oldest and myself are grinders. Oldest got his guard 6 months ago and I just picked up my new one (broke the last one) and they were just under $250 each ($226 IIRC).

Good to know. My dentist (who I dislike but am too lazy to get a new one) wanted to charge me $400-500. He tends to overcharge, and I think even overbills the insurance compared to my previous dentist.

[molala]

Good to know. My dentist (who I dislike but am too lazy to get a new one) wanted to charge me $400-500. He tends to overcharge, and I think even overbills the insurance compared to my previous dentist.

dentist have a different price to insurance compared to those who pay in cash...a hygienist friend of mine told me that the dental association (or however they word it) setted a rule that there's a minumun charge for each services that go through insurance......doesn't make much sense to me though

[notatoad]

I should mention that the majority of my clients don't like the guards once they try them, and they try them for a couple of nights and never wear them again.

this is me. luckily insurance paid for it so it's no loss, but i've worn my nightgaurd maybe 5 times since i got it. they're awful. i really should be better about it, my teeth are being ground away rather quickly.

[Btr2urhrt]

Maybe you could try going into one of the dental schools (Uot or Western) to get a custom made night guard. It'll probably be a lot cheaper than at your dentist's.

[CSK'sMom]

Edit: I should mention that the majority of my clients don't like the guards once they try them, and they try them for a couple of nights and never wear them again. So if money is tight, consider trying to find a cause first and work with that (reduce stress, etc.) If you're finding yourself with a sore jaw and/or headaches, then I'd try the guard.

Hmm, I never knew folks were so adverse to them Ocean. For me, I not only grind but I clench as well do to nerve damage. It's was a god send the first night I wore it. If I don't wear the nightguard my jaw literally aches all day and I get migraines from the clenching. Our son has worn teeth down already, one quite noticeably. I'll admit though it does take a few nights to get used to, especially the block type we have. The second you start clenching or bite down you get that pressure on the front teeth and it's a little shocking at first how that natural reflex kicks in.

[jory29]

My mouthguard almost makes me grind my teeth more, [but with that being said, I do not feel it is a good fit, even though it was custom molded.]

With my TMJ, every now and again when I wear it, it seems to help to reposition my teeth alignment, thus helping the headaches, and dizziness that I get from the TMJ. So, I do use it from time to time.

Good luck!! Teeth grinding can also cause a tooth sensitivity, so you may want to look into a toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

Eating soft foods may help as well, but ultimately, getting a good mouth guard to use when needed might be the best thing for you.

Edited to add; You can also try to make sure that your tongue sits at the roof of the mouth during the day for most of the day -this elminates clenching, and can help you to not clench at night -as well, relaxation exercises to relax the jaw at night, just prior to bed, may help.

P.S. I don't think I want to look up the pinworm/teeth clenching thing on google, LOL!

[raylee]

I did hear stress causes people to grind their teeth. Besides the guards, you may want to look at reducing or managing stress. Try exercise, meditation, etc.

[branat]

According to my dentist, the grinding will cause teeth to crack and gum to receed. It's a nuisance to prepare and wear it every night. On the other hand, once it's on, it's nighty night for me.

[v_tofu]

I just got mine last month. about 330 taxes in (thank goodness for dental insurance:D )


I think it helps alot. I tried the cheapo mouthguards for sports, but they just stay in place, and could've been a real hazard.

The one's that dentists make are specially molded to your teeth, so they stay in place. If you've ever worn a retainer, you'll get use to it fairly quickly.

I should have gotten this alot earlier.. during university I was grinding my teeth alot. Now that I'm getting married and buying a house, its starting to come back again.>:(

[v_tofu]

According to my dentist, the grinding will cause teeth to crack and gum to receed. It's a nuisance to prepare and wear it every night. On the other hand, once it's on, it's nighty night for me.

my thoughts exactly. It was kinda like pay 300 bucks now, and not 1000+ later for getting dental crowns and what not.

[Mr Nobody]

Are these guards supposed to be 1 piece or 2 piece? Uppers, lowers, or both? My wife got one done (custom), I think its just uppers. I didn't think it was right because I was expecting uppers and lowers. She must have used it twice at most and gave up on it. Luckily we have insurance.

She doesn't actually grind her teeth. The noise is more like quick banging of the teeth. So quick I can't even see it in my half awaken state. Pretty loud. I cannot mimic the sound or speed, but obviously it would sound different since there's reverberation through my skull when I try it.

She has the "exploding head" symptoms, we saw a specialist thinking its TMJ and they said it wasn't. This was before getting the mouth/night guard.

[CSK'sMom]

Just upper for both of us Mr Nobody. My new one isn't even a full arch, it only sits over my front 6 teeth and the block is directly under my 2 front teeth...

[Mr Nobody]

Just upper for both of us Mr Nobody. My new one isn't even a full arch, it only sits over my front 6 teeth and the block is directly under my 2 front teeth...

So basically it stops you from closing your mouth fully thus preventing teeth to teeth contact? I can understand why that would be uncomfortable.

Hope my wife still has hers. I'll make her use it for a month and see if she feels any better.

[CSK'sMom]

In a nutshell yes it prevents the molars from having contact. The principle behind it (with the block under the front teeth) is to take advantage of the natural reflex action. Think about if you bit into something hard with your front teeth only. Natural reflex kicks in almost instantly and you release. Our nightguards do the same thing. As soon as we start clenching or attempt to grind that natural relex kicks in...

[effie]

There is a provincial fee guide for dental services that dentists tend to follow, but are not obligated to follow....hence the varying charges. Usually, dentists will charge the maximum allowed by the guide because Insurance Carriers often allow a maximum of that amount (sometimes cutting back to a previous year, however).

In my experience with nightguards, people use them for awhile, then give up on them.

The 2007 Ontario Fee Guide for a nightguard is, I believe, around $211.00 - you then have to add lab fees etc. At several hundred dollars, I think you're being overcharged, but, again, the dentist can charge whatever he/she wants to.

I like the suggestion of meditation/prayer/relaxation exercises.....can't go wrong with this approach. You can check your local library for more information on this if money is an issue. (isn't it always! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: )

Good luck!

[Muncher]

I went and bought a mouth guard at SDM yesterday for $31.99 - it says specifically for bruxism. It seems to be for the upper teeth and is very hard. Unfortunately the groove for the teeth is quite narrow - and some of my teeth are crooked, so I can't wear this. Do the customised ones accommodate cross-bite, etc. etc.?

[CSK'sMom]

Yes muncher. They take a mould or impression of your teeth to make the actual nightguard. If you ever had an orthodonture work or had a custom sports mouthguard made, it's the same procedure. They mix up the "putty" and spread it in a metal tray. They then put the tray into your mouth pushing it upwards to get a full impression of your teeth and gums until it sets and then remove the tray. They then use that impression to make the nightguard to that it fits perfectly.

[nornet]

Has anyone used an online lab for a mouth guard?