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Dental care has revolutionized over time, with a wide range of dental appliances now available to choose from, including mouth guards, night guards, and retainers for the ultimate smile protection. These devices cater to your dental requirements, ranging from teeth retention to protecting your smile during high-paced activities.
While they might seem similar to some extent, it is essential to understand the difference between a mouth guard, night guard, and retainer. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into these dental devices to understand their purpose and see which one is the best choice for you.
What Are Retainers?
Retainers are orthodontic devices used as a post-care treatment after using braces, aligners, or any other teeth-straightening appliance. The primary purpose of retainers is to hold the teeth into their new positions, as even after getting your teeth aligned, there is still a chance of an orthodontic relapse. To prevent your teeth from shifting back to their original position, retainers are worn as per the dentist’s recommendations.
Types of Retainers
There are different types of retainers that can help sustain your hard-earned smile. No one wants their time and money to go to waste after a teeth straightening treatment, which is why it is essential to retain your teeth using retainers. The following are the different types of retainers users can choose from according to their dental requirements.
Hawley Retainers
Hawley retainers, also known as wire retainers, include a metal wire with an acrylic or plastic base to fit on the roof of your mouth. The metal wire runs across the teeth to sustain their alignment.
Clear Retainers
Clear retainers are made of transparent plastic and worn on both arches of the teeth. They are custom-made and easily removable without the supervision of an expert. Their transparent aesthetic makes them a preferred choice for individuals looking forward to retaining their teeth.
Fixed Retainers
Fixed retainers are also known as bonded retainers that are cemented on the inside of the teeth. They require strict orthodontist care and cannot be removed on your own, unlike clear retainers.
Benefits of Retainers
It is extremely essential to use retainers after getting your teeth straightened, either using braces or aligners.
Reduces Orthodontic Relapse
After any orthodontic treatment, our teeth tend to shift back to their original position, which is known as an orthodontic relapse. This is why retainers are worn on the teeth to prevent them from moving back to their original position.
Removability
Being easily removable and flexible in use, retainers provide added comfort and enhance the teeth alignment treatment.
ALIGNERCO Retainers
ALIGNERCO offers clear custom-fit retainers to sustain your newly achieved smile. Our retainers are composed of BPA-free, medical-grade material, so you can get the best smile retention.
What is a Night Guard?
Dental concerns such as teeth grinding and clenching have become predominantly common among individuals over time. However, they can be easily addressed by incorporating a dental night guard into your routine. Night guards are made of medical-grade plastic and worn on both arches of teeth to prevent them from grinding together.
Benefits of Using a Night Guard
Recover From Bruxism
Bruxism is a medical condition that refers to the grinding and clenching of teeth. It can wear down teeth, impacting the sleep schedule of an individual. Often causing tooth sensitivity and headaches. A dental night guard helps to reduce the risks of bruxism by creating a barrier between your teeth.
Reduces Jaw Pain
Teeth grinding often causes jaw pain, leading to headaches and a disturbed sleep schedule. However, night guards minimize the risk of teeth grinding, eventually leading to lower jaw pain.
Enamel Protection
Over time, teeth grinding can damage the tooth enamel. By wearing a dental night guard, individuals can wake up feeling refreshed without any headaches, as night guards reduce friction between the teeth.
ALIGNERCO Night Guards
ALIGNERCO offers industry-leading custom-fit night guards that are the perfect solution for your bruxism. Experience a restful sleep with our dental night guards that protect your teeth from grinding and clenching.
Made with BPA-free materials, our devices are safe to use for a longer duration of time. Moreover, ALIGNERCO offers three distinct types of custom night guards to meet your specific needs.
Hard Night Guard
Made with 2mm PETG material, hard night guards are ideal for individuals with severe teeth-grinding issues.
Hybrid Night Guard
Hybrid night guards are dual-layered dental appliances that include a soft interior and a hard exterior with two thickness options.
Soft Night Guard
These night guards are made with 3mm EVA plastic and are ideal for mild to moderate teeth grinding.
What is a Mouth Guard?
A sports mouth guard is a dental device used to protect teeth during athletic activities. It helps to prevent the risk of injury to your teeth, gums, lips, and jaw. A mouth guard absorbs external forces and minimizes the aftershock. There are different types of mouth guards, including over-the-counter, stock, and custom-made mouth guards. Individuals can opt for the type that best suits their requirements.
Benefits of Using Mouth Guards
A mouth guard is essential dental gear for individuals that take part in sports activities. The following are the benefits of using a sports mouth guard:
- Helps absorb external forces
- Protect your jawbone by dispersing the force
- Shields soft tissues
ALIGNERCO Mouth Guards
Get customized mouth protection while playing your favorite sports using ALIGNERCO Sports Mouth Guards. Made to perfectly fit your mouth, our mouth guards ensure easy breathing, talking, and other activities. Here is what an ALIGNERCO Mouth Guard offers.
- 4mm thickness
- Customized devices
- Impact resistant
- Available in multiple colors
ALIGNERCO Comparison Guide
| Features | Retainers | Night Guard | Mouth Guard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Retaining teeth alignment | Protect teeth from bruxism | Protect teeth during sports activity |
| Appearance | Crystal clear | Crystal clear | Multiple colors |
| Custom-made | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | For Just $125 | Starting only from $110 | In Just $110 |
Why Choose ALIGNERCO?
ALIGNERCO offers the ultimate range of dental protection. However, if you are still wondering why to opt for our best-in-class dental appliances, here are some benefits:
Durable
Our dental range is made using highly durable materials to offer the best support.
User-Friendly
Our dental appliances are safe and easy to use.
Easy To Maintain
You can easily maintain any of your ALIGNERCO dental devices to ensure healthy oral hygiene while protecting your teeth.
Free Shipping
Get your dental appliances delivered to your doorstep without any extra charges.
How Does It Work?
Here is how you can get your teeth aligned in three simple steps at ALIGNERCO.
Place Your Order
Order any of the devices you need, ranging from mouth guards, night guards, or retainers, through our website.
Create Your Dental Impressions
Using our home-delivered impression kit, send us your teeth impressions back to get your device customized.
Receive Your Device
Once done, your device will be delivered to your doorstep. Wear it as prescribed and protect your teeth in the best way possible.
When comparing night guards, retainers, and mouth guards, all dental devices can provide the ultimate tooth protection experience in their own separate ways. While looking similar, their features and usage cases vary. To get a complete insight on all three appliances, consulting with an expert can be beneficial to ensure you can make an informed decision about which one can be the best possible solution for you.
FAQs
1. What is a night guard?
A night guard is a dental device used to protect teeth from bruxism-related issues. They are worn on both arches to prevent them from grinding together.
2. What are retainers, and how are they important?
Retainers are the orthodontic devices that are used to retain teeth in their newly achieved alignment. After getting your teeth straightened, there is still a chance of an orthodontic relapse, which is why a retainer helps prevent teeth from shifting to their original place.
3. How to determine if I need a night guard?
If you wake up with jaw pain, headaches, or notice symptoms of teeth grinding, you should consider using a Night Guard. These symptoms often indicate bruxism, a condition effectively managed with night guards.
4. Are ALIGNERCO Mouth Guards safe?
Yes, ALIGNERCO provides market-leading night guards that are composed of BPA-free materials, ensuring safe usage for individuals.
