night guard dental lab NJ
Hard vs Soft Night Guards: A Prescribing Guide
Published 2026-08-18 · Updated 2026-09-10 · By Phoenix Dental Tech Clinical Team
Medically reviewed for laboratory accuracy by Phoenix Dental Tech Laboratory Leadership
A guard that is too soft gets chewed through. A guard that is too bulky ends up in a drawer. The prescription should match the habit, not a default SKU.
Hard guards
Hard acrylic or milled PMMA holds a prescribed occlusal scheme and lasts through heavy bruxism. It is the usual choice when you want to protect restorations you just seated.
Patients notice the thickness. Tell them why it cannot be paper-thin if they have a history of fracturing zirconia.
Soft and dual-laminate
Soft guards feel kinder the first week and are easier to accept. Heavy clenchers often chew them out and return asking why the lab “used cheap plastic.”
Dual-laminate (soft liner, hard shell) is a useful middle path for moderate parafunction when comfort is the barrier to compliance.
What to put on the Rx
Arch, material, coverage (full vs anterior), and whether you want canine guidance or a flat plane. Mention implants, new ceramics, or a history of appliance fracture.
Phoenix Dental Tech mills and finishes guards for NJ practices with the same QC we use on crowns: contacts you asked for, not a generic horseshoe.
FAQ
Do you need a bite record for a night guard?
A bite or a stated vertical goal helps. If you want a flat plane versus an anterior discluding ramp, write it. We will not invent a scheme.
Work with Phoenix Dental Tech
Ocean Township, NJ digital dental laboratory — call (732) 643-8828 or send a case.