Best mouth guard for tooth clenching and grinding? - Tooronga Family Dentistry in Glen Iris

A night guard, also known as an occlusal splint, is an appliance that protects the teeth and other vital structures by offering a barrier between the upper and lower teeth. In a large review of the published literature it has been found that the occlusal splint is proven to prevent tooth loss. There are two important features of the splint, the material it is made of and it’s design, that impact its protective function.

Since one size does not fit all, the splints bought at the chemist have to be molded. That is the reason, they are made of a soft material. It has been claimed that a guard of a soft material, is better because it can cushion the impact on the teeth. But this concept has not been scientifically proven, Dr. Kaufman’s experience shows that a soft material caves in while a hard material dissipates the forces over a larger area, therefore reducing the impact of clenching and grinding forces to individual teeth. Leading to the conclusion that a hard occlusal splint would be better at tooth protection. The resilient mouth guards will allow for a perfect adaptation between the teeth and the splint, prevent pain from misfitting splints and avoid the loosing the splint easily.

Another property of the chemist splint is that they are thick. A recent study has shown that the soft mouth guard needs to be at least 4 mm thick for it to protect the teeth. This finding led the researchers to the conclusion that the thick mouth guards are uncomfortable to wear . While the hard acrylic splints Dr. Kaufman provided are thin to allow good protection without discomfort.

Since we have little control on clenching and grinding and it can arise from a variety reasons, we need to concentrate on protecting the teeth. A custom made splint of hard material is the ideal solution.

For an appointment to prescribe the right splint for you please contact us.