$600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

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acegolfer
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$600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by acegolfer »

My new dentist says I should get a night guard because of signs of teeth wear. The professionally fitted night guard from the dental office costs $600 and not covered by insurance. The OTC ones cost less than $40.

Anyone had success with OTC night guards? If yes, any tips?

update: I have been wearing a soft retainer for 1 week at sleep, and there's no sign of teeth grinding. I'll continue to wear it for several months to see whether I'm actually grinding. (My new dentist can't find any symptoms of teeth grinding other than teeth wearing that I had for years.)
Last edited by acegolfer on Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:55 am, edited 2 times in total.
bbqguru
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by bbqguru »

If you need it, it will be the best $600 you've ever spent. It is one of those items that you don't know how much it helps until you start using it. Make sure the cost includes occasional adjustments and refitting. You will, over time, grind harder in different places, thus need to have it adjusted to even out.

I grind my teeth horribly and it causes severe TMJ and other jaw related issues. The current splint I am wearing ran around $1600, but includes all visits until we get everything "worked out". That may be 6 visits or 100, who knows...
toofache32
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by toofache32 »

Then get an OTC one. I suppose you mean a football mouthpiece? While you don't necessarily get what you pay for, you NEVER get what you DON'T pay for.

What does it cost your dentist to provide this? Serious question because it's more than you think.
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midareff
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by midareff »

If you think $600 is expensive to prevent further damage wait until you actually do that greater damage and have to pay for a crown, root canal, extraction, implant or a combination of them. Welcome to the world of den$al.
fourniks
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by fourniks »

My dentist suggested one of those several years back and said the cost was ridiculous. He suggested a mouth guard similar to what athletes wear, that can be fitted to your teeth.
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TxAg
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by TxAg »

I had to buy one this year. $300

I notice a difference
alexost
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by alexost »

My wife has a teeth grinding problem and we got her a night guard.

The dentist provided guard is thinner and fits better than the over the counter sports guard.

With our insurance it cost us $250.00 for plaster teeth molds and the completed night guard.
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englishgirl
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by englishgirl »

I got Invisalign instead for $7000 ish. It really helped - not only in moving my teeth to a better position to fix the problem more systemically but the retainer(s) act like a mouthguard as well. Though lately I've been a bit slack about wearing my retainer and am noticing a bit of jaw pain creeping back in, so I should recommit to wearing it every night.

Try the OTC one and see if it helps. If it doesn't, get the fitted one.
Sarah
mark18068
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by mark18068 »

I also purchased one from my dentist - and while insurance didn't cover any of it, I still had them submit the claim... because my dentist was a provider he had to write down the price to me based on the rate dictated by my insurance. It cut the price in half!
DEBTINATOR
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by DEBTINATOR »

I had one made custom. It's A LOT smaller than the OTC one, but I still struggle w/ the size. No way I would use the OTC one.

I saw 2 dentists, there is a huge variance in price with these. First one was $300 bucks. Second dentist presented 2 options for $60 and $200 dollars.

If you need guard, I'd get it- it's cheaper than capping or replacing teeth and way less invasive. But, that doesn't mean you can't call a few dentists in the area to price compare.
Erbman
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Erbman »

There is a big difference between a professionally made custom night guard and one you get OTC. You should have the discussion with your dentist about why he/she recommends the custom version over the OTC version. Do not be afraid to ask the hard questions directly to the dentist, after all its your hard earned $600. If you think the dentist is blowing smoke get a second opinion.
BW1985
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by BW1985 »

I've already had 2 made, first one no longer fits and the second one I lost. Hopefully third time's a charm! My enamel is all but gone. :(
Chase the good life my whole life long, look back on my life and my life gone...where did I go wrong?
furwut
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by furwut »

I tried an OTC mold. It didn't fit well. I then got a mouth guard made by the dentist. It fits very well. Prior to the mouth guard i woke up every morning with a sore jaw from the clenching.

I think the dentist made mouth guard cost around $300. Maybe you should shop around.

EDIT: I now recall cost was $600 and insurance paid 50%.
mud
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by mud »

what about a mail-order custom guard? Probably quite similar to the service your dentist uses, for less than half the cost:

http://www.proteethguard.com/custom-dental-night-guard/

Or, as others have suggested, just use an OTC $20 guard. I used one of the OTC models for several years during a high-stress time in my life. Worked just fine.
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greg24
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by greg24 »

You can always buy a 10 dollar model at your local sporting goods store and give it a try. If you don't like it, splurge on the $600 model.
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Will do good
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Will do good »

The one I got from my dentist is still good after 6 years.

To be cheap, I order one from Amazon with the custom fitted kit, those were much lighter and cheaper. I bite thru them in less than 3-4 months.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042U ... UTF8&psc=1
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climber2020
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by climber2020 »

My girlfriend has an OCT guard that she bought online for much less than that. She seems to like it and it hasn't interfered with her sleep. It's one of the thinner ones that you place in boiling water and then mold to your teeth.
UncleBen
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by UncleBen »

I had impressions done yesterday for one mainly to use up some extra FSA money. It was $300, insurance covered half.
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Raybo
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Raybo »

Mine wanted $1000 for one. I asked on here and got advice to buy one at a pharmacy. The one I got ($50) uses boiling water to soften a gel that you then bite onto to form an impression of one row of teeth (upper ones for me). It takes a bit to get used to, but once I got used to it, I don't notice it when I sleep.

I tried mouth guards but they are too bulky. The one I have looks more like the ones basketball players wear (and are constantly popping out of their teeth while they are waiting on the foul line).
No matter how long the hill, if you keep pedaling you'll eventually get up to the top.
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MossySF
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by MossySF »

Custom-fitted overseas ... $50.
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Kosmo
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Kosmo »

Go to a sporting goods store and get a mouth piece for $1. Or you could get the expensive one for like $30.
toofache32
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by toofache32 »

I could be wrong, but some of the examples here sound like prostheses made for TMJ problems which is a completely different animal.
Thrifty1
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Thrifty1 »

I second the notion that you try a plastic mouth guard purchased from a drugstore first. Mine costs about $30, and is boiled in water to fit. I replace it every 6 months because it does get grungy. Before I started using it I was in danger of losing a front tooth over the grinding problem. My teeth immediately improved after using it a few weeks.
ponyboy
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by ponyboy »

My wife had to get one last year, $700. Luckily my works pays $2500/year for anything dental related. I just swipe the credit card and they reimburse me. We usually have a lot of money left over each year which just resets at the start of the new year. I told her to get a new night guard every year. I couldnt care less.
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PaddyMac
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by PaddyMac »

If you get an expensive one, also buy an ultrasonic cleaner on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/iSonic-F3900-Ultr ... 00HLBW61C/

You'll want to use this regularly to stop the crud building up.
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ipod_keith
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by ipod_keith »

I tried several OTCs and then one from my dentist. I found the dentist model fit much more comfortably and held up a LOT longer. My insurance covers half the cost of a mouth guard every couple of years (maybe 3?). I think my cost is around $250. For me, its worth it. It's one of the few things I never forget to bring when we travel - for even a single night.
Ninegrams
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Ninegrams »

Ask your dentist to make you a temporary ( trial ) night guard, it shouldn't cost you anything. See how you like it before plunking down the $600. I had a temp made years ago, and just wore that no problem, it did the job and it didn't fall apart. My new dentist suggested I get a night guard, I told him about my old temp, he went ahead and took a mold and made a temp, so now I have two. I doubt I'll ever order the permanent, why?
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acegolfer
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by acegolfer »

Ninegrams wrote:Ask your dentist to make you a temporary ( trial ) night guard, it shouldn't cost you anything. See how you like it before plunking down the $600. I had a temp made years ago, and just wore that no problem, it did the job and it didn't fall apart. My new dentist suggested I get a night guard, I told him about my old temp, he went ahead and took a mold and made a temp, so now I have two. I doubt I'll ever order the permanent, why?
This is the best advice so far. TY.

BTW, I have a professionally made teeth whitening tray from 4 years ago, which was made of mold and is soft/comfy. I tried it on today to see any gap between the tray and my front lower teeth, where my new dentist was concerned. I don't see any gap, which is an indication that I may have not been grinding any more.

I'm going to wear it at night for the next several months. If I still grind, it should tear apart soon.
toofache32
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by toofache32 »

ponyboy wrote:My wife had to get one last year, $700. Luckily my works pays $2500/year for anything dental related. I just swipe the credit card and they reimburse me. We usually have a lot of money left over each year which just resets at the start of the new year. I told her to get a new night guard every year. I couldnt care less.
Exactly the reason why payors are increasing the financial "skin in the game" required of patients.
ShiftF5
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by ShiftF5 »

I went the OTC way and it is fine 1 year in.
joebh
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by joebh »

acegolfer wrote:My new dentist says I should get a night guard because of signs of teeth wear. The professionally fitted night guard from the dental office costs $600 and not covered by insurance. The OTC ones cost less than $40.

Anyone had success with OTC night guards? If yes, any tips?
Try the $40 OTC night guard first. For many folks, that would be sufficient.
If that doesn't help, move on to the professional version.
radagast
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by radagast »

Definitely worth it, but $600 is a bit steep.

I got a custom guard for $400 by a dentist, which was mostly bullet-proof until I lost it.

Later, I got a custom guard from a dental lab on Amazon for about $120. It was a good purchase, but far less durable than the previous guard from the dentist, e.g. I broke through the dental lab guard within six months. It's still good but I'll probably have to order a new one ever year.
Mingus
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Mingus »

toofache32 wrote:Then get an OTC one. I suppose you mean a football mouthpiece? While you don't necessarily get what you pay for, you NEVER get what you DON'T pay for.

What does it cost your dentist to provide this? Serious question because it's more than you think.
The dental assistant makes a mold with alginate, a cast is poured, and some sort of rubbery plastic is formed over the cast and trimmed with a sharp blade

About 10 dollars in materials, and maybe 100 dollars in labor if we are being generous. When I was active duty, the Air Force dental clinic was making these for anybody and everybody who wanted one. Because they were cheap to make.
lightheir
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by lightheir »

I suspect that these night guards are way oversold by dentists as a moneymaker. I have seen 4 different dentists in the past 4 years when I moved, and 2 of them said I should get one because there was 'early signs of grinding', one of them said there were no signs at all, and one of them said that I clearly had signs of grinding.

Every single one of my adult colleagues I asked about it at work has been offered a night guard, that's like 6 people in a row.
angelescrest
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by angelescrest »

The dentists I know who've at least been honest with me, talk about this as a major cash cow. Why would it be anything but that? I had a dentist try to sell me on grinding that I did many years ago when I was younger, but no longer do. I.e., I can't fix the wearing away from the past, but there's no point in wearing one now since I no longer grind my teeth.
jayjayc
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by jayjayc »

Long time teeth grinder here. I give my highest recommendation to the DenTek comfort fit dental guard. http://www.amazon.com/DenTek-Comfort-Fi ... ight+guard

It's about $27 on Amazon. Instead of covering your upper teeth like a traditional mouthguard, it places 2 pads on the chewing surface of your back teeth. It is by far the most comfortable, lease noticeable night guard I have ever tried and I tried many different OTC models and a custom made one from my dentist. Try this one first and if you don't like it then you can get one from your dentist. Best case scenario: you find a perfect night guard for $25. Worst case: you lost $25.
random_walker_77
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by random_walker_77 »

Thrifty1 wrote:I second the notion that you try a plastic mouth guard purchased from a drugstore first. Mine costs about $30, and is boiled in water to fit. I replace it every 6 months because it does get grungy. Before I started using it I was in danger of losing a front tooth over the grinding problem. My teeth immediately improved after using it a few weeks.
I've wondered how these OTC ones hold up over time. I have a custom one, and it's worn down some over the last 15 years. I might need to get a replacement in a few more years.

Replacing every 6 months sounds like it could get a bit expensive... have you tried using denture cleaner to avoid the "grungy" issue? My nightguard is still very clean, but that's because I soak it in denture cleaner every day. That runs me about $15/yr, using store-brand denture cleaner from target/walmart
jayjayc
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by jayjayc »

random_walker_77 wrote:
I've wondered how these OTC ones hold up over time. I have a custom one, and it's worn down some over the last 15 years. I might need to get a replacement in a few more years.

Replacing every 6 months sounds like it could get a bit expensive... have you tried using denture cleaner to avoid the "grungy" issue? My nightguard is still very clean, but that's because I soak it in denture cleaner every day. That runs me about $15/yr, using store-brand denture cleaner from target/walmart
I've had my OTC for about 2 years and it's still holding up well, but no way it'll last 15+ years. Duarbility isn't as my #1 priority though, comfort is and my OTC one is the most comfortable for me. YMMV of course.

+1 on the denture tablets. They're super cheap and hardly any effort.
stoptothink
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by stoptothink »

lightheir wrote:I suspect that these night guards are way oversold by dentists as a moneymaker. I have seen 4 different dentists in the past 4 years when I moved, and 2 of them said I should get one because there was 'early signs of grinding', one of them said there were no signs at all, and one of them said that I clearly had signs of grinding.

Every single one of my adult colleagues I asked about it at work has been offered a night guard, that's like 6 people in a row.
This. I have a close friend who is a dental assisting consultant and owns two dental assisting schools [link removed by admin LadyGeek]. She made these and bleach trays for myself and my wife about 2yrs ago, for free. One of the major reasons she quit her job as office manager for a very large practice and became a consultant is because she was getting really jaded about dentists pushing stuff like this. They cost almost nothing to make and are hardly labor intensive...for a dental assistant who makes $14/hr.
lightheir
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by lightheir »

random_walker_77 wrote:
Thrifty1 wrote:I second the notion that you try a plastic mouth guard purchased from a drugstore first. Mine costs about $30, and is boiled in water to fit. I replace it every 6 months because it does get grungy. Before I started using it I was in danger of losing a front tooth over the grinding problem. My teeth immediately improved after using it a few weeks.
I've wondered how these OTC ones hold up over time. I have a custom one, and it's worn down some over the last 15 years. I might need to get a replacement in a few more years.

Replacing every 6 months sounds like it could get a bit expensive... have you tried using denture cleaner to avoid the "grungy" issue? My nightguard is still very clean, but that's because I soak it in denture cleaner every day. That runs me about $15/yr, using store-brand denture cleaner from target/walmart
My dentist said that although my fitting and first cost in the range of $450, she could make replacements for <$75 with the mold after the first one.
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Doom&Gloom
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Doom&Gloom »

Several years ago a new dentist tried to sell me one for murky reasons despite no complaints from me. He quickly became an old dentist. No other dentist that I've seen has even mentioned the subject.
Slackter
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by Slackter »

I bought so many of the OTC ones before finally spending about $400 for a permanent one. My grinding was so bad, I would just grind right through the soft rubber on the OTC ones. This one's lasted over 4 years. Discolored, but works fine.
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by minesweep »

My prosthodontist charged me $600 for my night guard too. I'm guessing it was about 8 years or so ago. I'm still using it today.

Mike
Last edited by minesweep on Thu Mar 12, 2015 4:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ShiftF5
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by ShiftF5 »

stoptothink wrote:
lightheir wrote:I suspect that these night guards are way oversold by dentists as a moneymaker. I have seen 4 different dentists in the past 4 years when I moved, and 2 of them said I should get one because there was 'early signs of grinding', one of them said there were no signs at all, and one of them said that I clearly had signs of grinding.

Every single one of my adult colleagues I asked about it at work has been offered a night guard, that's like 6 people in a row.
This. I have a close friend who is a dental assisting consultant and owns two dental assisting schools [link removed by admin LadyGeek]. She made these and bleach trays for myself and my wife about 2yrs ago, for free. One of the major reasons she quit her job as office manager for a very large practice and became a consultant is because she was getting really jaded about dentists pushing stuff like this. They cost almost nothing to make and are hardly labor intensive...for a dental assistant who makes $14/hr..
That is sad. You go to the doctor (dentist) for help with a condition and they want to ring the cash register.

Everyone has to make a living but, come on. That is just not right.
toofache32
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by toofache32 »

Mingus wrote:
toofache32 wrote:Then get an OTC one. I suppose you mean a football mouthpiece? While you don't necessarily get what you pay for, you NEVER get what you DON'T pay for.

What does it cost your dentist to provide this? Serious question because it's more than you think.
The dental assistant makes a mold with alginate, a cast is poured, and some sort of rubbery plastic is formed over the cast and trimmed with a sharp blade

About 10 dollars in materials, and maybe 100 dollars in labor if we are being generous. When I was active duty, the Air Force dental clinic was making these for anybody and everybody who wanted one. Because they were cheap to make.
You forgot the most important variable....How much chair time?
toofache32
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by toofache32 »

ShiftF5 wrote:
stoptothink wrote:
lightheir wrote:I suspect that these night guards are way oversold by dentists as a moneymaker. I have seen 4 different dentists in the past 4 years when I moved, and 2 of them said I should get one because there was 'early signs of grinding', one of them said there were no signs at all, and one of them said that I clearly had signs of grinding.

Every single one of my adult colleagues I asked about it at work has been offered a night guard, that's like 6 people in a row.
This. I have a close friend who is a dental assisting consultant and owns two dental assisting schools [link removed by admin LadyGeek]. She made these and bleach trays for myself and my wife about 2yrs ago, for free. One of the major reasons she quit her job as office manager for a very large practice and became a consultant is because she was getting really jaded about dentists pushing stuff like this. They cost almost nothing to make and are hardly labor intensive...for a dental assistant who makes $14/hr..
That is sad. You go to the doctor (dentist) for help with a condition and they want to ring the cash register.

Everyone has to make a living but, come on. That is just not right.
This was my earlier point....there are multiple different types of appliances that are not all the same. You guys are comparing bleaching trays now to a night guard? Apples and oranges.
dolphinsaremammals
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by dolphinsaremammals »

DEBTINATOR wrote:I had one made custom. It's A LOT smaller than the OTC one, but I still struggle w/ the size. No way I would use the OTC one.
I never could get used to mine. I stopped wearing it and just checked several times during the day and in the morning to see if I was grinding or clenching my teeth, and if so I relaxed my jaw. Pretty soon I broke the habit. It came back a couple of times and I just repeated the process.
canderson
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by canderson »

My wife was quoted $640 for hers. She called around and found the lowest was $320. Went back to her normal dentist and presented the ultimatum: $320 or I get it elsewhere.

She had it one that day at her normal dentist.

Like many things, these are highly inflated but negotiable.
Last edited by canderson on Thu Mar 12, 2015 8:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
masteraleph
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by masteraleph »

Dentist recommended a soft one; I paid about $400 for it. Used it for about a year and a half, and by that point I had chewed through it pretty thoroughly.

The next time around, we ordered a hard one. That one cracked after about two weeks. The dentist took one look, said "wow, I've never seen that happen before," and got them to replace it with the thickest soft one they make, which has worked fine for about a year and a half. I paid about $320 for that one (I also still have the mold around for it somewhere, so I could presumably get a new one without needing to do the mold again).

As a note- even though my dental insurance didn't pay for either, they did knock the price down (i.e., their negotiated price). Might be worth looking at.
expat
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Re: $600 night guard for teeth grinding, really?

Post by expat »

I use a $40 OTC nightguard and prefer it to the $400 custom made one.
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