GETTING THE GRIND ON NIGHT GUARDS

Night guards.  A lot of people need them, and insurance companies often do not offer a full reimbursement for this, if at all…And patients are in the need for them.
We have seen it all, and we are sure, as doctors you have too.  Patients come in complaining of discomfort in their jaw, neck and trouble sleeping, or the obvious wear and tear on their occlusal surface tells us that this patient is grinding at night. What can we do about that? Even though it may not be something their plan covers, we want to offer the patient a night guard, and it’s in the best interest of the patient’s health and wellness, but it also can benefit you as a doctor where a profitable product is concerned.

First, let’s discuss the type of night guards that are available and why each one is an option. We offer three different types of night guards, soft, hard and combo. We find that we have higher success with the hard or combo night guards. When choosing a night guard, a patient who suffers from bruxism, the material of a soft night guard is just not a durable material compared to the strength of the patient’s bite and grinding, and the night guard is often chewed through and destroyed in a short period of time. For severe bruxism, we would personally recommend a hard night guard, but patients may be concerned with the stiff and solid material, so that is why we have the best of both worlds, the combo night guard.  With the combo night guard, you have the soft, pliable material on the inside layer, and the strength and durability of the hard night guard on the outer layer. It has the comfort and stability of both types of guards.
Another offer for your patient is to create a package when you have a crown, and you offer a night guard as additional add on.  This is a great way to preserve and protect your new crown or veneer from getting damaged in the first couple of months until your mouth is adjusted to its newest restoration. When getting veneers, the biggest fear is chipping the porcelain, as veneers are fragile, and if you are protecting those gems in your sleep, the less likely you are to have an accident with a fracture of the veneer.
Whatever the reason, a night guard is a great addition to offer in your practice. It is a bonus feature or add on to a service you provide, just as whitening is. If you are looking for assistance in how to approach the sale of a night guard to your patient, or choosing the correct type, we are always here to help!  In addition to being your trusted dental lab and an advisor for you, we are now offering a great deal on night guards where the first five are $49.00 and from there $59.00 each, it’s really a great buy where you can not only help your patients and their comfort level, sleep and new restoration, but also increase your revenue in your practice!