Can a mouthguard shift your teeth?

Can A Night Guard Move Your Teeth?

If a mouthguard is not molded or custom fit to your mouth, you can experience teeth shifting.

In fact, if you use a standard over-the-counter night guard or a one-size-fits-all mouthguard that does not mold to your teeth, more than likely, you will experience teeth shifting due to uneven pressure exerted by your jaw.

This shifting of the teeth can worsen symptoms related to TMJ and, long term, create more complicated and painful dental issues.

Although over the counter night guards might be cheap and convenient, they won't allow for a true custom fit and are more likely to give you negative side effects. We recommend looking into a thinner mouthguard made of soft material that can easily be custom fit to your teeth like the Nxtrnd Rise Night Guard.

Why do my teeth hurt after wearing a mouthguard?

If your teeth hurt after wearing a night guard, chances are there may be a problem with your guard.

When a mouthguard fits properly, it should feel snug, secure, and fully cover the bite surface of each tooth on the upper jaw. If this doesn't happen, your mouthguard is poorly fitting and causing your tooth pain.

Although numerous, an ill-fitting guard usually causes pain for two reasons.

1) Causing teeth shifting
2) Causing jaw misalignment

If you find that your jaw alignment has shifted or you’re experiencing pain in your jaw and neck area, consult with your dentist as soon as possible, as jaw misalignment can actually make Bruxism and TMJ related symptoms worse.

However, when wearing a night guard for the first time it's bound to feel strange. It's important to distinguish between pain and discomfort as mouth guards usually take a few weeks to adjust and get acclimated to.

If your pain from wearing a night guard has been lasting for longer than 7 days, we recommend changing your guard.

Do night guards straighten your teeth?

Yes, night guards can be used to straighten your teeth. The most common use for a night guard, besides protecting from teeth grinding, is when a patient has had their teeth straightened with braces.

In fact, after the teeth move into their final position, it is important and recommended by dentists to use a night guard so that they do not gradually move back into their previous position and out of alignment.

Can a mouth guard change your bite?

Many of the out-of-the-box versions of night guards are poorly made. The low-end quality of these products not only means that it won't last long, but also means that the materials they are made of don't allow proper fitting to the teeth.

Cheaply made mouthguards with low end materials do not properly mold and fit to your teeth, which may cause serious complications after extended use. In fact, an ill-fitting mouthguard can actually have adverse effects on your oral health and cause painful jaw misalignment.

At Nxtrnd, we always advise consulting with your dentist before purchasing a night guard.

Can you wear a mouthguard on your bottom teeth?

Mouth guards are worn over the teeth, and used to protect from teeth damage caused by night time grinding and sport injuries. Generally, mouth guards are best designed to cover the upper teeth only, but are sometimes recommended to be placed on the lower teeth if you have a dental appliance.

In both cases, an effective mouthguard should be comfortable, resist tears, be durable, easy to fit, easy to clean, and should always allow ease of breathing and speech.

If you’re looking to avoid costly procedures in the future when your enamel is worn down, a night guard is the recommended place to start. Grinding and bruxism is the leading cause for root canals so make sure you protect your teeth when they need it most – at nighttime.

At Nxtrnd, we guarantee perfect fit and comfort, so if you are experiencing any of these problems with one of our night guards, we want to make it right. Your oral health is of the utmost importance to us. If minor discomfort is turning into pain or something just doesn’t feel right, it’s time to reevaluate the fit and style of your night guard.

Nxtrnd offers a professional 100% at-home night guard for an affordable price. Our night guard is made of a unique EVA-Silicone blend that is BPA, phthalate free and FDA approved.