Do you have a mouthguard to stop you grinding your teeth at night? Which do you recommend?

[loveyouradvice]

I've just started using one - £15 off Amazon and not that comfortable but perhaps I just need to get used to it.

My dentist quoted me £320-600 for one created just for me. Heavens!!

So if you've used one for a while, what tips can you give about getting used to it and sleeping well - and which one do you recommend?

Thanks!

Honestly. The one from the dentist will be way better. It’s fitted just for you
appreciate that’s a huge cost but the Amazon one may not work / might be too flimsy

Cost me 360 from the dentist after trying many cheap DIY options. Fits snug. Game changer

I had one from my dentist (was free as he cleverly got it done when I had a maternity exemption!) And it's been great, I now need a new one amd the amazon one I got is so uncomfortable so think I will save up for another one from the dentist

Dentist will cost, but it will last years.
And be fitted exactly for you. You keep going back until it fits bang on.

Don't go for false economy

Both me and my grown up son use a custom guard and they're great.
The ones on Amazon won't fit and may be soft. You want one which will actually told your jaw (imperceptibly) during the night. And it'll be hard not soft.

Most people can't afford that even if they are much better!

I got mine made by a dental technician friend of mine, it's a lot better than ones you can just buy in shops I'm afraid - I lost mine (for months! It was down the back of the bed, god knows how) and bought some cheap mould-at-home ones and they gave me awful jaw ache.

Ring some dental labs in your area and see what prices they charge - I know a lab near me charges £120 for a mouthguard.

That possibly sounds like an NHS appliance price.

That’s similar to what the NHS were going to charge me and then my dentist, who also offer private services were able to make me one for £150. If it’s the case yours is NHS, it might be worth asking around private surgeries for cost for that.

As a half-way compromise, I've just looked and see you can get kits online where you do the impressions yourself and send it off for a custom mouthguard, about £70. Will be much better than the £15 ones you put in hot water to mould at home.

Would help if I added a link - venneir.com/products/upper-mouthguard-soft

£150 for lower teeth, from a private dentist

I got one from my dentist and it was only £80. It’s so much better than the shop bought ones as it’s moulded to my teeth/jaw. It’s on its last legs and I will be going back to get another one made. Can you see if a local dentist will make one as a one off?

Mine is included with my Denplan plan.
Bespoke and very comfortable plus I get a new one whenever I need it (usually every couple of years).

This is my local dentist and I was shocked - we are not a posh part of town

Years ago I had one custom made, in my 20s and I remember it not being very expensive so not sure what has happened since

I'm liking the sound of trying that @housemaus

My dh got his for free on nhs a few months ago. Is yours private?

I got another one this week, £58 via nhs dentist

Yes mine's private.... no NHS dentists to be found round me, though managed one for a few years before they stopped doing it

Does no one use ones off the internet????

Got mine from my dentist. I don't remember the initial cost (of the session to make the impression/mould), but the actual plastic/silicone night guard made from the mould costs me about £65 and lasts up to a year (before I chew through it in my sleep). I've had about 5 guards made from the same mould, my teeth haven't shifted in all those years.

Mine has lasted 12 years from the dentist-my son goes through one every 6 months!

Mine is custom-made by the dentist - have never tried anything else. It lasts about two years before it starts to wear thin and needs replacing but I consider it money well spent.

Mind you, mine cost under £300 and that’s private dentist price. Your dentist is turning a nice little profit if they’re quoting you between £300 and £600!

Dp has a pack from amazon that were only about 10 quid for 4, but you do mould them to your own teeth after softening them in boiling water. They are my best friend as I don't want to kill him in the night.

I've got one from here and find it really good.

sleeppro.com/collections/all/night-guard

I did have one from the dentist years ago when it was 'only' about £100 but got one of those when it wore out and have been perfectly happy with it. They also do an offer where once you've bought one you can buy another ar a discount for a certain length of time so I have another as a spare/ ready for when this one wears out

This sounds good @MrsDeaconClaybourne and the sort of level Im looking for - thank you!

I can't imagine it's very healthy to slowly eat your way through the plastic particles to the point where it needs replacing every year or so. I realise plastic is everywhere and difficult to avoid but I wouldn't want to suck on it all night!

I had one custom made from the dentist and it was the most uncomfortable thing ever, it made my gums ache after just 2 minutes. I had it adjusted a couple of times and it never got better so I didn't bother using it. My teeth are all still in good working order 10 years later so I think the dentist was spinning me a yarn about teeth grinding to make some profit.

@Ficklebricks having bruxilism so bad you wake with headaches and necklaces and get premature arthritis in your jaw isn't very healthy either. That's where me and DS were before our hard splints.
I do agree the soft ones are like chocolate teapots and probably shed a lot of plastic. But the hard ones, once bedded in and properly adjusted can be nigh on miraculous .