Teeth clenching or grinding wears down tooth enamel and can lead to cracks, cavities, gum soreness and other wear-related problems. A night guard is a plastic device worn in the mouth while sleeping to soften the impact of clenching or grinding, and some may also be worn in the daytime.
Typical costs:
Some people get relief using a football or boxing mouth guard for $3 -$25 from a sporting goods department or store, or online. For example, the Shock Doctor Evermax Mouth Guard by Everlast costs $10-$16. However, many people find sports mouth guards to be too big, bulky and uncomfortable.
Do-it-yourself night guards start around $15 -$25, but can cost up to $80-$250. These range from a boil-and-bite type that is softened by hot water to adapt it to the individual's mouth; to a "custom" guard in which the person uses a kit to make their own dental impression, and then mails that to the manufacturer. For example, the Dental Hygiene Preferred Day/Night Mouth Guard Kit< with two (small and large) boil-and-bite mouth guards costs $20-$30. And NightGuardLab.com offers a variety of do-it-yourself mail-in dental impression kits ranging from $55 for a soft, flexible night guard for light to moderate grinding and clenching, to $176 for a hard acrylic night/day guard for heavy to moderate grinding and clenching.
Having a dentist custom-fit a night guard can cost $200-$600 with an average price of $300-$500, but can be $800-$1,100, depending on type of materials (soft plastic or hard acrylic), location and the dentist. For example, CostHelper readers report paying $225-$600 for a custom-fit night guard, at an average cost of $452. The process typically includes an initial office visit to make impressions of both the upper and lower teeth as well as a return visit to fit the fabricated night guard in the patient's mouth. A night guard from a dentist is usually smaller and more closely fitted than over-the-counter or mail-order models.
Many policies now pay 40%-100% of the costs of having a dentist provide a night guard If there are symptoms of grinding and wear. However, some policies limit how often a night guard can be purchased, like once every four years. Dental insurance typically does not cover over-the-counter or mail-order night guards.
Bruxism is the official name for grinding, gnashing or clenching the teeth at night; the Mayo Clinic provides an overview of bruxism[1] and treatment guidelines[2] .
A night guard can be placed on either the top or bottom teeth. If placed on top, the guard cushions the lower teeth and vice versa. Whether a guard is fitted to the top or bottom jaw may depend on the amount and type of dental work in the teeth -- and some dentists have a preference for either the upper or lower position. Most night guards fill the whole mouth; but some fit over the front teeth and keep the back teeth from touching.
Additional costs:
If a custom-made night guard is lost or damaged replacement costs will be the same as having a new one made unless the mold used to create the original night guard is still available. With a usable mold, the cost of replacement may be discounted by as much as 50%. However, dental labs do not store these molds, throwing them away after a short period of time. A few dentists give the molds to their patients to keep, but if major dental work has been done or the teeth have shifted since the mold was created, a new impression and mold may be needed.
Discounts:
Dental school clinics[3] offer reduced rates for services by supervised students or faculty.
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research provides tips for finding low-cost dental care[4] .
Shopping for a night guard:
Over-the-counter night guards are available from most drug stores or big box discount stores, or from sites like Amazon[5] or DrugStore.com[6] .
Search for local dentists through the American Dental Association[7] . WedMD.com lists things to consider when choosing a dentist[8] .
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
7 Lesser-Known Discounts for the 50+ Crowd As they age, members of the Baby Boomer generation don't like to admit that they're senior citizens, but they love getting discounts. It's kind of a quandary, because some of the best deals available are reduced prices for older folks. || Posted October 21 2013
7 Ways to Stretch Your Reduced Food Budget End of the year budgets are tight for everyone, especially in this economy.It's especially hard for the millions of Americans who depend on government programs like food stamps to help make ends meet. || Posted November 11 2013
First, I love my primary dentist. But, his office quoted me $550 and noted it was a discount from the list price. I even spied an outgoing box in their office being sent to a different dental lab. After looking online, I decided to try Sentinel Mouthguards and read their website thoroughly. I opted to buy the 2mm kit by mail for $109. It comes with enough putty to do two molds if needed. After the first one, I took a photo and sent it to them to see if it was good enough. They said it was too shallow on the back teeth so I made the second attempt and did the same process. This time, they said it looked good enough and I mailed it in. It was finished and mailed back within a week of sending the mold in the prepaid envelope to them and the item fits like a glove on my teeth. And, they said that they keep the mold for a year if I wanted to reorder (at a discount). So far, this is a great option to paying too much.
I have a hard acrylic night guard. I paid $2,000 for it back in 2014. I recently had it adjusted after I began to have constant pain in the lower right portion of my head. This helped somewhat. Now this dentist specialist says that I need another night guard because the one that I have is wearing down. He quoted me a price of $2,300. After looking at these other prices, I really want to get a second opinion.
1. If you need a bite guard get it. I agree with other postings in that getting the guard prevents fractures and stress on teeth AND gums. Spend some money now to reduce the amount spent later. 2. Florida DDS comment is unprofessional and inappropriate. If you don't like your chosen profession then find something else, but dont complain about peoples filthy mouths. Fortunately 99% of dentists are proud professionals.
I am on my second bite splint...wore little holes through the first one. I go to a specialist - a very skilled prosthodontist who has oatients coming from all over the world - he is that good. I just accidently shattered my current one, and I can't afford to replace it right now. I've tried the home-boiling kits and there is no comparison in comfort. Guess I'll use the holey one until I can afford a new one *sigh*.
Get a night guard if you need one!! I've been told a few times by dentist, never got one. Now at 44 years old, I have damaged my back molars so bad, they're fractured and majorly worn down from the grinding and clenching, I have to get at least 4 crowns! I should have listened in the past, it would have saved my teeth and lots of money!!
I have worn a soft custom night guard for 10+ years. My dentist gave me my mold so whenever I needed a new one I would drop by his office and in a day or so pick up my new one. Unfortunately my dentist has retired and I am looking for a dentist who will make a new appliance with my old mold. If I can't find a dentist who will work with me I am going to order one of the kits to make my own. To those who gave up on the night guard too soon I say, "give it a couple of weeks!" You are not use to having something foreign in your mouth. Be patient!
Too bulky, and I also felt it was possibly blocking my airway at times. I kept it for about six months, then tossed it. However, I need one, so I'll have to shell out the mega-$$$ for one. A comment to dds in Ft. Lauderdale: if you don't want to be a dentist (which is what your post reads like) find another vocaltion. There are many, many things on human beings more disgusting and filthy than mouths, like eyes, feet...all sorts of things on old people who get no help and no care. Either lighten up & be professional, or leave. I'm disabled because of an upper spinal injury & can no longer work as a RN. I miss my patients all the time. They are humans, and deserve more respect than you are giving them. Thanks.
I recently purchased a guard for my TMJ on 6/15 and I am outraged that I have to spend this amount of money! I realize when you take into consideration time, experience, and materials but the amount I paid still is obscene. No one should get paid that much for a piece of plastic. I'm sorry that is just ridiculous.
I'm a dentist and I have been reading all the comments here. I have to say, there is no point in insisting on keeping your "molds" since there's nothing that your dentist will do with them once they are used. Often, the lab alters the mold in order to remove the guard from the models and then they can't be used to make another one anyway. Also, the teeth shift quickly if you are not wearing your guard on a nightly basis; and if it's been more than a couple of weeks without wearing your guard, you will likely need a new model anyway. Also, the cost for the night guard isn't just for the "plastic"; it is for the dentist's time combined with the lab fee to fabricate it, plus the chair time that it eats up in our office. Dental school is not cheap and most of us have hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans that we must repay somehow, while at the same time being compensated for the incredibly disgusting job of fixing people's filthy mouths.
It cost $300 to make the night guard, but my dad's insurance was able to cover majority of the fee. So we I ended up paying $10. My dad even got one for himself since it was so cheap. The night guard is made of hard acrylic and is made for and wraps around the upper part of the teeth.
In the past I had 4 different bite guards over the years, made and fitted by my dentist and they all worked fine, were worth the outlay. I continued to grind my teeth, but was protected against damage from the unconscious habit. They wear out though and have to be replaced. Now dentists seem to have shifted to these hard acrylic guards that do not work for me. My teeth hurt and the alignment of my mouth is distorted. If i don't wear the guard I end up with blood on my pillow; if I do I feel I'm hurting my teeth in another way.
My dentist said I have TMJ and wants me to wear a nightguard which they said costs $575! I could get a discount and pay $433. When I said that's ridiculous and overpriced for a piece of plastic the manager offered me $100 off that for a total of $331. I will try an over the counter one before I pay that much for plastic.
January 2015. It was made with a thermosetting plastic. The dentist recommended it when I mentioned minor soreness while eating hard foods. I wish she mentioned the price. Insurance may not cover it...
Dental insurance will not cover this so I was originally told it would be between $375-400 out of pocket cost. Shocked by the $625 price tag!!! which included impressions and fitting. I will be having a discussion with the dentist about the cost, seems a bit much for a piece of plastic, also, it is not right for the dentist to produce estimates so far from actual cost.
I thought a lot of my new dentist in Denton, then they want $1,780 for a piece of plastic to get my teeth inline and help with TMJ! I read what other people are paying and think this cost is outrageous for a piece of plastic! then they said my insurance company MAY NOT pay for it so I have to fork over the cost OUT OF POCKET and they would reimburse me if the insurance pays. I have extreme pain in my jaw on that side they said I have TMJ and headaches. STUPID insurance company can just pay my NEUROLOGIST bills when I start seeing one! I refuse to pay for this OUT OF POCKETE when I have insurance! It is a scam, these overpaid overpriced doctors and insurance companies!
I have had about 8 mouthguards over the years. I have terrible bruxism and have cracked 3 crowns and broken a front veneer from the grinding. I have broken several of those mouthguards by chewing on them while asleep. My dogs have found a few of them after they fell out of my mouth during the night; and, they made expensive chew toys for my canine family members. All of my previous mouthguards have cost me $400.00 and greater. None of them have been as comfortable to wear as the product I purchased from Sentinel. I was concerned that it might not fit well because I am used to the dentist spending a lot of time fine tuning the mouthguard with a drill in order to get a good fit. It was nice to not have to go through all of that work with the dentist and still get a wonderful fit. This has got to be the most comfortable mouthgard I have ever worn.
Think the cost is outrageous and that I am probably being gouged by my new LA dentist. But this is the third dentist to tell me I should get one. Apparently I am grinding away my previous dental work, wearing down my enamel, etc. For 850, which i took out a line of credit for, this better be the best quality night guard. Ugh.
The first mouth guard for grinding was soft acrylic. Cost: $400. It made the problem worse and then TMJ was a problem, jaw popping out, pain. Now broke a crown grinding so have another appointment for $1100 night guard, hard acrylic. Does this work? Is it worth it? Not sure, but I'm captive till some relief is found
CostHelper is based in Silicon Valley and provides consumers with unbiased price information about thousands of goods and services. Our writers are experienced journalists who adhere to our strict editorial ethics policy.
CostHelper Community
UTI urgent care visit Paid: 147.00 Visit was $135. Antibiotics was $12. Waiting for four hours in the waiting room and the visit was quick... [more]
Spanish Medical Interpreter Paid: 150.00 I worked with SynShyne Services out of Monroe, NC. They were so worth the price! Professional, friendly, accurate, great attitude and always on time. I recieved an itemized report after every contact and a user friendly invoice weekly... [more]
Skin prick allergy test Paid: 573.00 Took my 9 yr. old in after an allergic reaction to eggs. Several panels for nuts, fish & top 8 allergens. Sure enough, egg came up. Got a script for epinephrine and left... [more]