What is the Difference Between a Night Guard and a Mouth Guard?

A mouthguard is known as a sports guard. It is a customized protective device that protects the mouth of the wearer that participates in contact sports. It offers protection by spreading the collision impact over a large surface area. However, a night guard prevents teeth from grinding and clenching while sleeping. It is made using strong and thin material.

What is a Nightguard?

A night guard is known as a bite guard, dental guard, or occlusal splint. Dental professionals usually grind teeth due to anxiety or stress. Teeth grinding and clenching while sleeping causes pain to the jaw and gums. It also results in tooth damage.

Nightguards create a physical barrier between lower and upper teeth. It prevents them from grinding against each other. These devices cover the occlusal part of teeth. It is what makes them more comfortable as compared to sports mouthguards.

The entire process of getting a night guard typically takes two appointments. During the first appointment, the dental professional will take your teeth impression and transfer it to the laboratory for the fabrication of the nightguard. But during the second appointment, the expert will check the fitting so that it allows you to sleep and breathe comfortably.

What is a Mouthguard?

A mouthguard covers gums and teeth to minimize and prevent injury to the lips, gums, and teeth. According to the American Dental Association, it is ideal for people that play sports that involve collision, contact, and impact. To get the custom-made guards, you need to visit a dentist near you or a dentist in Alexandria. He/she will take your specific teeth impression. Then, he/she sends it to the lab for its creation, which will take about one or two weeks. The process of custom night guards is quite precise.

• Boxing
• Wrestling.
• Gymnastics.
• Rugby.
• Football.
• Ice hockey.
• Volleyball.
• Lacrosse.
• Ultimate frisbee.
• Field Hockey.

Mouthguard v/s Nightguards

As per the American Dental Association, 10 to 20% of all sports injuries are maxillofacial injuries. Both nightguards and mouthguards are manufactured using different materials and have different purposes. Mouthguards use soft and thick material. Therefore, they effectively absorb high-intensity impacts and shocks when the player collides with other players or falls on their face.

Moreover, today mouthguards are now available in different colors. It means you can get your protection device in your desired shade. Grinding teeth at night creates more serious side effects than your roommate or partner complaining about noise in the morning. As you know, when bruxism is left untreated for a long time, it results in temporomandibular joint disorder. Wearing a mouthguard during participation in sports prevents brain injuries and concussions.

A sports guard is ideal for players and athletes that protect teeth from injuries caused by physical blows on the face. However, if you notice a sore jaw or stiff neck when you wake up in the morning, you are a perfect candidate for a nightguard. Night Guards prevent numerous dental problems like fractured teeth, worn down teeth, and TMJ disorders.

Sports accidents cause most dental emergencies. Wearing a root canal mouth guard can protect you from the panic and discomfort of dealing with dental urgency. The device is effective in removing the pain that accompanies grinding teeth. The most common signs of grinding teeth at night include headaches, worn down enamel, jaw ache, facial pain, tooth sensitivity, etc.

Remember, mouthguards are not recommended for TMJ disorder or grinding teeth. Since they are heavier, few patients feel uncomfortable wearing them throughout the night. Furthermore, these devices are not tailored by the dental professional. Therefore, even the American Dental Association does not advise sports guards as the permanent solution for sleep bruxism. It’s because they may change their bite. This creates the need for complicated dental treatment.

Sports mouthguards are typically available in two types – generic and boil-and-bite. Generic sports mouthguards fail to fit the mouth. However, boil-and-bite mouthguards are moldable to the teeth. Therefore, they provide more customization to the wearer. These guards are usually manufactured using thermoplastic and polyvinyl chloride.

Get Mouth Guard for Grinding Teeth Today

If bruxism is affecting your life and general health significantly, get in touch with Burton Dentistry for customized nightguards. It will help you get relief from pain and protect your teeth.