What Is the Difference Between Sporting and Nighttime Mouthguards in Cedar Park?

When your child needs a nighttime mouthguard in Cedar Park, it’s a serious matter.  Generally, it means that they suffer from teeth-grinding or other problems that can cause them to unintentionally do damage to their teeth.  When a child needs a nighttime mouthguard, they need to wear it regularly.

However, it’s not surprising that some budget-conscious parents sometimes ask their Cedar Park dentist if a sports mouthguard can be used at night as well.  Unfortunately, the answer is no.  Nighttime mouthguards are quite different from those used in sports, and we can’t recommend trying to use the same mouthguard in both roles.

How Sporting and Nighttime Mouthguards Are Different

It’s important to understand that these two types of mouth guards are doing two entirely different jobs, beyond protecting teeth.

A sporting mouth guard is designed to protect the teeth against sudden direct impacts, such as from a flying elbow or a baseball.  These are the sorts of impacts that, without a mouthguard, can result in teeth being knocked loose, or even being knocked out entirely!  So, sporting mouthguards are almost always made of a very resilient (bouncy) rubber, intended to absorb and deflect as much of the impact as possible.

On the other hand, a nighttime mouthguard needs to protect against constant stress.  Rather than being made of rubber, nighttime mouth guards are generally made of very hard plastic – one which can effectively stand up to being chewed night after night, for months or years.  A rubber sporting mouthguard simply cannot stand up to that sort of abuse; your child would chew right through it within a few weeks.

Plus, nighttime mouthguards are almost always much thinner than sporting mouthguards, so they are more comfortable to sleep with.

What Sort of Mouthguards Should You Get?

When it comes to sporting mouthguards, the best all-around choice is the “boil and bite” style of guard.   These are inexpensive, but still, do a good job protecting the teeth because they can mold themselves around your child’s teeth.

If your child needs a nighttime mouthguard, however, you will want to consult with your Cedar Park dentist.  Most of these guards are custom-made, specifically, so they will provide maximum protection while remaining comfortable.

Let Reveal Dental Help!

Either way, if your child needs a mouthguard, Reveal Dental in Cedar Park is here to help!  Contact us directly to discuss your options.