Some people are teeth-grinders; I’m a teeth-clencher. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t wake up with a headache and jaw pain, only to catch myself clenching my teeth at various points throughout the day. The facial and jaw discomfort was one thing, but by my mid-20s I was clenching so hard that my molars started cracking under the intense pressure. Before long, the back of my mouth was full of fillings. And then I cracked those.
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My dentist at the time would always ask the same questions: Did I eat something especially sticky or hard? (No, except for the time I lost a filling when, after a few glasses of wine, I chomped directly into a wedge of parmesan cheese like an apple.) Was I stressed? (Who isn’t?) When it became clear my stress wasn’t going anywhere, my dentist suggested that I get a custom-made night guard. He told me that it wouldn’t prevent me from clenching, but should help with the pain and molar-cracking.
That was roughly 15 years ago, and I’ve been wearing custom night guards ever since. I’ve stuck with it because when I don’t wear one (e.g. if I fall asleep on the couch or on a flight), I wake up with significantly more jaw and facial pain.
Unfortunately, night guards don’t last forever, and even with dental insurance, they can be pretty pricey. So a few months ago, when it became clear that mine was kaput, I started looking into some of the new direct-to-consumer (DTC) options. After doing some research, I ordered one. Not only was it less expensive, easier, and less time-consuming than going to the dentist, it's also the most comfortable and highest-quality night guard I've ever owned.
Here’s what to know about my experience ordering and wearing a DTC custom-made night guard, as well as a few tips for navigating the process yourself.
Custom-Made Night Guards: Dentist vs. Direct-to-Consumer Brand
Before we get into the ordering process, let’s start with some of the basics, including what to consider when deciding between getting a custom-made night guard through your dentist, or a DTC retailer:
First and foremost, talk to your dentist.
If you regularly wake up with headaches and/or jaw pain, or know (or at least suspect) that you’re grinding or clenching your teeth when you sleep, this is something you need to discuss with your dentist—even if you don’t plan on ordering a night guard through their office.
If your dentist determines that you’re dealing with bruxism (the medical term for unconsciously grinding or clenching your teeth), it may help to explain other dental issues, like overly sensitive teeth, tongue indentations, or worn enamel, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Compare costs.
If your dentist recommends a custom-made night guard to help with teeth-grinding, you’re under no obligation to purchase one through their practice. Still, you may want to ask the administrator how much one would cost with your insurance plan (or lack thereof), including any required office visits.
Getting a custom-made night guard through a dentist typically costs between $200 and $1,000, depending on your dental insurance situation, with most falling in the $300 to $500 range. Some people may be more comfortable getting a custom night guard through their dentist if they've never had one before, especially if their insurance covers most of the cost.
Custom-made DTC night guards typically cost between $90 and $200. Most of these online retailers don’t take insurance, but in my case, it was still cheaper than getting one through my dentist’s office using my dental plan. The biggest reason for the price difference is that when you order a custom-made night guard from your dentist, you’re paying for their time and for someone in the office to take your impressions and send them into the lab where they’ll be made.
In most cases, whether you order one through your dentist or an online retailer, night guards can be purchased using funds from a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA).
Keep in mind that if you come across what appears to be a $10 or $20 mouth guard, chances are it’s probably the over-the-counter “boil and bite” type that people wear to protect their teeth while playing sports, rather than one that’s custom-made to protect your mouth and jaw.
Consider the convenience factor.
Ordering a custom night guard through a dentist typically requires two appointments: one to take the impression of your teeth, and a second, usually around two weeks later, to pick it up and check the fit. Again, it may make sense to do this for your first night guard, but after that, it’s nice to have the option of ordering online and not having to schlep into the office twice.
DTC Custom-Made Night Guards: What to Consider
If you decide to go with a custom-made DTC night guard, you’ll need to pick a company. At this point, there are several online retailers to choose from, including Chomper Labs, Pro Teeth Guard, Cheeky, Remi, JS Dental Lab, The Clear Guard, enCore, Sporting Smiles, and ClearClub, among others. Here’s what to consider when (virtually) shopping around:
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The types of night guards available:
Generally speaking, there are three types of custom-made night guards available through DTC retailers:
In my 15 years of wearing custom-made night guards, neither of my dentists provided me with any options: I either got one, or I didn’t. In discussions with night-guard-wearing friends of mine over the years, most disclosed that they, too, were never given a choice, and, like me, weren’t aware that there were multiple types. Our dentists may have simply selected the kind they thought was best for us, but it’s nice having options.
The total cost:
Like airfare, the advertised price of a custom-made night guard may not be the total cost. For example, what appears to be a $99 night guard may not include things like the impression kit, shipping costs, or additional customization, so be sure to calculate the total cost when comparing prices.
Returning customer benefits:
Most night guards last for between six months and five years (or more), depending on the type, as well as the severity of the wearer’s grinding or clenching. Some DTC brands offer discounts or subscription plans for returning customers, and maybe even better yet, keep your dental impressions for a period of time, so you won’t have to redo them when ordering your next night guard.
Refunds and replacements:
Find out what your options are if something goes wrong, for instance:
Do you get a free or discounted replacement if your dog eats, chews on, or otherwise damages your night guard? (Yes, this is real, and certain brands, including Chomper Labs and JS Dental Lab, have dog-specific policies in place).
My DTC Custom-Made Night Guard Experience
After considering all of the factors, and my unique teeth-clenching needs, I decided to purchase a hybrid night guard from Chomper Labs. (To clarify: it was not a free sample product from the company.) Up until this point, I had only used soft night guards, and given how efficiently my canine teeth bore through the flexible material, I wanted to try something a bit more durable without sacrificing comfort. But more about that in a minute.
Here’s what the process involved:
I placed my order on April 25, and received my impression kit on May 1. The thin box contained two trays (one standard-sized and another for smaller mouths), two small plastic containers of putty (the base and the catalyst), instructions, an identification card, and a pre-posted padded envelope. The same day, the company also sent an email with instructions, including an extremely helpful step-by-step video.
Initially, I was concerned about making a bad impression and ending up with a wonky, ill-fitting night guard, but I felt confident following along with the video. Plus, it helped knowing that I had the option of submitting photos of my impressions to Chomper Labs for review, and getting to redo them if I messed up on my first attempt.
The process is pretty straightforward. You start by thoroughly combining the base and catalyst into one unified putty (if you’ve ever mixed two colors of Play-Doh together to make a new color, you’ve basically done this before) in one minute or less, then immediately rolling it into a tube roughly the same length and girth as a breakfast sausage link, and placing it inside the tray. (Unless you have an exceptionally tiny mouth, use the standard-size tray.)
With all that ready, you center your teeth in the tray and bite down, ensuring that your back molars are deep enough in the putty to make an impression. Then you continue to bite down on the putty-filled tray for three minutes, while drool cascades down the sides of your mouth as if you turned on a faucet. (It helps to have a towel handy.) After removing the tray from your mouth, rinse it off, pat it dry, then pop the whole thing into the padded envelope with your ID card, and mail it.
I can’t remember when I mailed my impression, but it made it back to Chomper Labs on May 8, I received my custom night guard on May 15, and I’ve worn it every night since. Unlike some of my previous night guards, this one was comfortable immediately—no break-in period required—while the hybrid’s hard exterior feels far more durable.
Eight weeks into wearing my new night guard, I haven’t encountered any problems. It still fits perfectly, and while there is some visible wear from my forceful clenching, I have yet to puncture any holes. My headaches and jaw pain haven’t improved, but I didn’t expect them to; most importantly, they haven’t gotten worse. I’m curious to see how the night guard will hold up longer term, but so far, like I did using their instructions back in May, Chomper Labs has made a good impression.
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