Night Guard Not Fitting Properly? Here’s How Your Night Guard Should Fit

To determine how should a night guard fit, you can follow these simple rules:

1. You can bite down without pain or discomfort

After putting the night guard in your mouth, how does it feel? When you bite down, you shouldn’t experience pain or discomfort. However, it can cut into your gums over time – especially if you have severe Bruxism symptoms and grind your teeth a lot during the night. In addition, the outside edge of the night guard shouldn’t feel sharp because it can cause canker sores on the inside of your mouth.

2. Your night guard doesn’t go all the way to the gum

No matter which night guard you use, it should never go all the way down to your gum. Night guards are intended to protect your teeth when grinding them, so they won’t need to cover your teeth as other orthodontic retainers do. Due to the alignment of your teeth, the night guard may cover more of one tooth than another, but will typically cover half the tooth.

3. Your night guard should fit securely

The night guard should feel natural in your mouth. If it is too tight or too loose, you may experience discomfort. It can also rub against your gums, cheek and teeth that you want to protect. These are signs of a night guard not fitting properly. Over-the-counter, one-size-fits-all night guards normally don’t fit well, and it is recommended that you get a custom-made one.

4. You experience fewer symptoms

How do I know if my night guard fits properly? A clear sign is when you are experiencing fewer Bruxism symptoms and tension that causes teeth grinding. Conversely, symptoms such as headaches or jaw tension can occur when a night guard doesn’t fit well.

5. The bite surface of the night guard

There are two types of bite surfaces for night guards - flat and indented. They can have a significant influence on your fit and comfort. An indented occlusal surface has the indentation of your teeth, allowing it to rest on your upper and lower teeth naturally. A night guard with a flat occlusal surface works great for severe teeth grinders because there is no resistance when grinding.

Night guard not fitting properly?

If your night guard doesn’t fit properly, you might be wearing the wrong kind. Many options are available, and you owe it to yourself to get the right one!

One-size-fits-all night guards are often bulky because they have to accommodate all size mouths and teeth. Therefore, this is not an ideal option. The boil-and-bite night guards provide a better fit. They get placed in hot water and molded to the shape of your teeth. Although, they are still bulkier than custom-made night guards.

Custom-made night guards will get you the closest fit night guard compared to the other options. It fits snugly around your teeth and won’t change the position of your teeth. A custom night guard gets molded to the exact shape of your mouth and teeth, so it is secure during each use.