The Benefits of A Night Guard After Dental Work

To someone unfamiliar with dental appliances, a guard such as those we make at ClearClub might seem to perform a similar function as a retainer but, of course, they don’t. Still, that isn’t to say that a guard can’t come in handy for folks recovering from dental work…

As we all know, cosmetic procedures for your teeth can be a very expensive investment, so you want to ensure that once your smile is where you want it to be that you can protect it as much as possible. This goes not only for smiles enhanced by braces or aligners, but for veneers and other procedures. So what are the benefits of wearing a dental guard that go beyond how it protects you from clenching and grinding?

Fundamentally, the purpose of a retainer vs. a dental guard is different; a retainer’s main function is to help your teeth stay in place following realignment, where a guard is for protecting your teeth from friction and subsequent damage. Depending on the length and complexity of the realignment, most patients are required to wear a retainer for anywhere from four to 12 months following the removal of braces or aligners. Theoretically, this should be enough time to prevent one’s teeth from shifting back to their original positions.

Once the retainer period is over, however there’s always a chance the teeth might shift slightly, and this is where a dental guard can provide a bit of assistance; wearing one every night, and for some bruxism patients during the day as well, it does fit to your bite and keeps your teeth in place while in use. Dental guards are definitely not recommended as a replacement for retainers during that crucial recovery period until your teeth settle in, but their fit can’t hurt in the long term – plus they’ll help prevent damage from grinding as well and can sometimes assist with conditions like TMJ and chronic headaches.

Then there are the really expensive investments you’ll want to protect, like veneers. Whereas braces and aligners typically run between $4,000-$10,000 per treatment, it’s not unheard of for a full set of porcelain veneers to cost between $15,000-$30,000. When you’re spending as much as you would on a mid-size car, you’ll want to do all that you can to protect that investment. Dental guards can absolutely help shield your new smile from the elements, not to mention any damage from clenching that would also take a toll on your real teeth.

As evidenced by the number of zeros in that last paragraph, these dental procedures can take quite a toll on your wallet, which is a fundamental reason why we established ClearClub in the first place.  Our guards are designed to be dental office quality, withstanding long-term grinding and clenching while featuring a soft comfortable fit that will make wearing them a breeze. With the starting cost under $100, there’s no better time to invest a little more in a smile that will last decades.

ClearClub's renewal option provides an easy, cost-effective way to replace your guard every 3 to 6 months. Most customers will only need to take an impression once, but if your bite ever shifts we'll be happy to send a new impression kit to ensure your renewal has a great fit every time.

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