Any dentists or dental health professionals out there?!

Any dentists or dental health professionals out there?

I grind my teeth when I sleep. I've been doing it for years; it's not just a temporary response to a passing condition. I was advised to get a night guard. The problem is that it is very expensive to have them custom made. Even at the local university where the dentistry students make them it is over $300, which is out of my price range. One time a dental hygienist said that I could get one ready-to-wear from the store. I see these range from $20 to $100 dollars, which is more affordable. My questions are: (1) Will a ready-to-wear night guard function as well as a custom-made one? (2) Which brand, style, or both, of ready-to-wear night guard should I get.

We usually recommend the Dr's Nightguard which you can find at Walgreens, Wal-Mart, etc. No, these ready-to-wear nightguards are not going to be just like the custom made ones, that's why they're cheaper. They are bigger, bulkier and harder to get used to. But, if you can't afford a custom made one, then it's better than nothing.