Night guards and appliances can cost $400-$750, something which has often presented a financial challenge to many individuals who need them.
However, the alternative of night guards that are purchased either online or fabricated inexpensively of a soft material, not done by a laboratory, can have dire consequences. Recently, I had a patient who had sought an inexpensive alternative. The end result was not only did the inexpensive night guard not prevent his grinding, he actually bit through the soft plastic. He managed to break a crown and a dental implant supporting that crown involving an upper front tooth, something that had some dire implications for his smile and his pocketbook.
I strongly suggest that patients who are advised to wear night guards to prevent the effects of tooth grinding to please have these night guards made professionally and that they be made of a hard, plastic material by a dental laboratory. In this case, an ounce of prevention can prevent several pounds of cure.
Dr. Victor M. Sternberg

dangersofstoreboughtnightguards.pdf |