Night guard is a plastic device over upper or lower teeth. Night guard covers the natural space between lower and upper teeth and stops teeth from grinding together which can cause chip and crack on patients’ teeth and jaw muscles discomfort and disorder. Night guard can’t stop bruxism but it can protect teeth during it. It’s so comfortable too wear and meant to be worn during sleep.
A night guard is a custom fabricated piece of acrylic that fits over your teeth similar to how a retainer does. By covering the teeth, this acrylic acts to protect your teeth from hitting and coming into contact with each other, which in turn can prevent tooth wear, cracks, gum recession, and tooth movement.
Unfortunately, it also traps bacteria against the surface of your gums while you sleep. It's fine to cover your gums for an hour or two but not 8 hours a night, 7 nights a week. That's why you can wear your sports mouth guard for a game or practice, but not while you sleep.
Night Guards will have varying durability depending on a number of factors. A night guard will have an average lifespan of 5 years, but depending upon the wear, it can need replacement in just 1 year.
