Hi all, after looking through previous posts and not seeing a very
direct answer, would like to know what a night guard accomplishes that
an inexpensive drugstore mouth guard doesn't for the general mild (or
more specifically, painless) case of bruxism. My dentist says
something about the cheap version not allowing smooth horizontal side-
to-side motion of the upper and lower teeth. Can anyone actually
explain why that might be important? I otherwise find the cheap guard
to fit nice and tight (you create a vacuum in your mouth to mold the
heated up guard snugly against your teeth) and have no problems w/
comfort or losing the guard at night.

I'd like to know the general answer to the question above about the
importance of side to side motion, and addtionally, if possible, how
it might apply to my specific situation. I myself have no jaw pain,
headaches, etc., but do have 'excessive' molar wear and have been
fracturing my filling-riddled molars at an alarming rate over the past
1 1/2 years, so have recently begun w/ the sports guard.

Thanks for any help!
PatrickB