Should I Be Wearing a Night Guard to Protect My Veneers?

Why it’s worth protecting your smile after such a big investment:

Jenny saved and saved for her new veneers on her front teeth. It was a dream come true for her. No more smiling shyly with slightly pursed lips. Prior to the veneers, she had what she aptly referred to as “rabbit teeth”. Her lateral incisors (the two teeth on either side of the two front teeth) were shorter than her central incisors (the two front teeth).

She cried at the dental office when she saw her new smile for the first time. Holding the small mirror in front of her face, she couldn’t believe the smile transformation.

But there was a problem with her new smile. After a few nights with her new teeth, she woke up to a chipped lateral incisor. She went to the dentist and he fixed it. Two weeks later, it chipped again. Another trip to the dentist.

Jenny’s problem is extremely common after cosmetic work. Her bite and grinding habits prior to getting the new veneers are now dangerous to the new teeth.

The solution is to wear a night guard.

But, what type of night guard is best for veneers?

Many dentists agree that a soft dental night guard will protect your teeth from direct contact with each other. The soft padding provides a much needed barrier between the two destructive surfaces. It’s comfortable and easy on the new veneers.

Should I wear a night guard on my upper or lower teeth?

If you have received veneers on both the upper and lower teeth, it may be necessary to wear soft night guards on both teeth arches. These are not bulky. You should consult with your dentist to find what he/she recommends.

Here at Sentinel Mouth Guards, we manufacture and sell soft, thin 1mm dental night guards for both the upper and lower teeth for less than $200/set – A smart investment to protect your new veneers. Now, these are called tongue and cheek biting relief guards but they can also be used to protect new veneers.

Dentists don’t always tell you the downside of new veneers. There’s a golden rule that everyone should be aware of: there is nothing better than your natural, healthy teeth.

Take dentures for example. Dentures are not going to feel like real teeth. You just eventually get used to them and forget what your real teeth felt like.

Your new veneers are going to take some getting used to.

Sometimes dentists might not tell you that food can get up under the veneer, and overtime, your little nub of a tooth can start to decay-only to be discovered years later when the dentist pops that veneer off. The truth of what lies under those beautiful, new veneers can be shocking to see.

You know what else can happen to veneers? They can chip and break.

Sometimes it feels like one thing after the other.

For most people, getting new veneers is a huge expense and one that takes a lot of time and diligence to save the money for.

The reality is simple. Any cosmetic dentistry work is just downright expensive.

So when your dentist tells you that (on top of the thousands of dollars you just laid down for your dream teeth) you now need to wear a night guard to protect those new pearly whites, it can be quite a blow. You might even be wondering if you REALLY need the night guard.

Can a sports mouth guard be used to protect my veneers?

A sports mouth guard is thicker and is intended for use during sport activities to protect the teeth from impact. These are not to be worn as an alternative to a dental night guard.

The Short Answer

Most dentists strongly recommend the use of a night guard after veneers.

The reasons are obvious. If you crack or chip your new porcelain teeth it’s going to be an expensive fix. Also, the new veneers will create a new and unusual bite. This new bite can actually cause you to start involuntarily grinding your teeth together.

We’re here to let you in on a little secret:

The good news is, this protective night guard does not have to cost you another $500, $600 or $700+

A lot of people are unaware that they can purchase a custom made night guard, for around $100 online.

These are the same exact custom night guards made in dental offices. The only difference is, you take your own dental impression and your custom fit night guard is made in a dental lab specializing in night guard & mouth guard fabrication.

What is the best type of night guard for my veneers?

A soft night guard (generally the least expensive type) should be just fine for you (given that you do not have any severe grinding or clenching issues and/or any teeth alignment issues).

If you have had a decent amount of dental work done you have probably had a dental impression taken a time or two.

You should know that a dental assistant takes most dental impression all by his/her self. If a dental assistant can take a cast of your teeth, guess what! So can you.

At Sentinel Mouth Guards, we strive to provide the best and most up-to-date information available.

Do you have experience wearing veneers? Share your story! We would love to hear from you in the comments section below!