Mouth guard advice - Bruxism!

[InfiniteDreams]

Morning folks

I'm a teeth grinder unfortunately, I think it's called Bruxism. Unfortunately it's getting worse and worse and I'm waking up with my jaw in agony in the mornings because I'm tensing it while grinding.
I've spoken to the dentist and until I actually damage my teeth then moulding and providing me with a mouthguard for overnight is seen as cosmetic.. and therefore band 3 NHS charge (£270!). They said they don't provide them for preventative reasons. I'm in agony with lock jaw every morning but I don't have £270 spare right now.
Can anyone recommend anything I could use to help? Boots have a £25 one, I tried it a few weeks ago but my teeth were grinding through it at night and there were cracks all in the plastic after a few nights.
Thanks

[ThomasHardyPerennial]

I see a private dentist and my mouthguard is £75, I get a new one every 6 months. £270 is ridiculous! It's totally miserable waking up with the pain, I really sympathise. The mouthguard won't sort the problem completely, but at least you feel better knowing your teeth are more protected from damage.

[InfiniteDreams]

Thank you @ThomasHardyPerennial I hadn't even considered a private dentist, I'd made the assumption they'd be more expensive than the NHS. I'll have to see about prices locally! Thank you.

[onsen]

There's a very useful bit of hypnosis on Youtube for Bruxism which I have used when I was doing it very badly and - over three or four weeks of listening to it when I went to sleep every night - it did improve things.

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Is there any way you can tackle the cause of the stress? Meditation might also help?

[InfiniteDreams]

Thanks @onsen I'll give it a go.
I'm not actually sure what's causing it. A few years ago it was stress, but hand on heart I'm feeling really relaxed and happy at the minute. As much as people keep saying it must be stress, I just don't have anything to stress about right now. I'm not sure what else it could be.

[AnnaMagnani]

Can't believe your dentist quoted £270!

I had both NHS and private dentists and been using mouthguards for over 15 years and price has always been about £75.

[NoBaggyPants]

Even if it wasn't cosmetic, mouth guards come under Band 3 on the NHS, hence the very high charge (unless you're exempt). My dentist offers it at the private rate (less than £100) even to NHS patients.

Definitely see another dentist, even an NHS one that offers private work as well.

[NoBaggyPants]

Correction, just checked and a non custom fitted one would be Band 2, but a custom moulded one (which is what you need) is Band 3.

[YesQueen]

Mine is £60 and that's a private dentist

[InfiniteDreams]

So the verdict is definitely to try privately! Thanks guys, feels like there's light at the end of the tunnel

[hatemyhairhun]

Your dentist is correct that mouth guards/splints fall under a band 3 charge. This applies to all cases of bruxism though - you seem to be under the impression that if your grinding gets worse/you wear down your teeth more etc that the cost will be cheaper? This isn’t correct, it will always be a band 3 charge.

My dentist would absolutely get a splint moulded for preventative reasons. That’s the whole point of using a mouth guard - it’s a conservative measure to prevent further grinding and wear to your teeth whilst sleeping by placing a barrier between your arches. Some people actually find that a mouth guard is all they need to stop grinding. It’s something that you NEED to have tried before being referred onwards.

My dentist also finds the band 3 cost unfair and will charge £80 privately.

[PhilipMarlowe]

My NHS dentist makes mine privately for about £100. I used to chew through the soft ones within a few weeks, so I get a rigid one now.

[foxychox]

Mine was from a private dentist and was about 90. If you can afford it at some point get Ceresten, I had lost teeth due to my previous grinding but it does seem to be controlling it...

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

I’m in Scotland, so probably quite different, but mine are about £35 on the NHS. My dentist has to seek approval from the local health board to provide it at that cost, otherwise the private fee is around £200 (my surgery is mainly private, but I am historically an NHS patient).

I’m waiting on approval for a replacement just now, but tbh would pay double the private charge if I had to. I found out I was clenching (not actually grinding) because I was smashing up my back teeth. Mine started during a really stressful period, but now seems to be habit. I have a hard guard currently but started with a soft one which I chomped through in no time. I find they have a lifespan of about nine months of nightly wear, my current one is beginning to split now.

[loveskaka]

I am s jaw clencher/grinder to and found mouth guards cause me even more pain. Also don't want ground down teeth! Not sure what to do 😥

[allypally999]

My first one was relatively cheap but also cumbersome and I hated it so got a more expensive slimmer one made which helped for a while. I too have no stress but after many years it becomes a habit which is hard to break. I am currently a lot better after spending £600 on Cerezen which is ear plugs. Sounds mad but it worked for me. I don't work for them and I am just saying they worked for me. I think they have doubled in price anyway now. I am private too.