Essix Retainers

Over-the-counter stock night guards can easily be purchased from a local pharmacy/drug store at a lower price than a custom night guard. These OTC solutions are mass-produced and usually come in three standard sizes. With some models, the guard can be adapted to one’s teeth every night using a ‘boil and bite’ method. Most who opt for this solution are left with a less-than-ideal fit. A custom night guard minimizes the risk of an improper fit as it will be molded based on a real impression of a patient's teeth.

All of enCore Laboratory’s night guards are made from FDA registered, BPA-free materials purchased from professional dental industry suppliers in the United States and Germany. Material safety data sheets (MSDS) are readily available upon request.

Most prefer an upper guard as they tend to be less obtrusive. A single night guard is generally enough to protect your teeth against grinding, so either an upper or a lower will suffice unless otherwise instructed by your dentist.
When deciding between an upper or lower, please consider the following:

1. Do you have a gag reflex? - Many customers with a severe gag reflex report that opting for a lower guard is more comfortable and less likely to induce their gag reflex.

2. Are you currently wearing braces and/or have a permanently cemented retainer? - It's best to choose the arch that you do not have braces or a permanently cemented retainer on. The impression putty cannot be applied onto teeth with braces and a guard may catch on to your cemented retainer.

3. Do you have loose teeth, sores, or dental health issues on a particular arch? - If so, it is recommended to take the impression/wear a night guard on the opposite arch

If deciding between the single layer options, keep in mind a soft guard is more comfortable while the hard guard is more durable. That said, more severe grinders should opt for a hard guard or hybrid guard.

Our hybrid guard is extremely popular due to its hybrid nature - many customers who fall under the mild to moderate level of bruxism enjoy the combination of a soft liner for comfort and a hard exterior for durability.

If you have porcelain veneers, enCore highly recommends that you consult with your family dentist first due to the high cost of veneers and their delicate nature. Ask your dentist if it's safe to take your dental impression over the veneers. If so, we recommend either a hybrid guard or a soft guard as both have soft material components that help provide padding to protect the veneers.

For a more detailed rundown on selecting a guard check out our post on 'Choosing a Guard' 

Within 2-5 days of your order, you will receive an impression kit (encased in tamper-evident packaging) that contains the following:

1. Impression trays in three sizes (Large/Medium/Small): Three tray sizes are provided for you to determine the best fitting tray. For tips on how to determine the best tray for you, check out our tips here. In an effort to minimize plastic waste, we send the most commonly used sizes first. If you need a pediatric tray, please contact us directly and we'll send one to you immediately.

2. Impression putty: Each set of putty is designed and measured for a single impression. If the putty is divided and used for two impressions, neither impression will have enough putty for an accurate model. For your convenience, your kit will also contain a back up set of putty.

3. Prepaid mailer and envelope to return your completed impression.

4. Detailed instructions are included. You can always email us for a copy if you've misplaced it. If you have any issues or questions during the process, our support team is always ready and happy to help.

Once your impression is completed, please send us a photo of your completed impression for evaluation before returning it. In the event that there's a quality concern with your impression, we'll be able to send a new kit to you immediately to help save time.

Upon receiving your good dental impression in our lab, we require 4-6 business days to fabricate your custom night guard*. You will receive:

1. Your completed custom night guard
2. Travel/protective case for storage
3. Cleaning tabs to help minimize stains and odor

We use USPS Ground Advantage to ship all items. USPS delivery commitment time is 1-5 business days nationwide.

*48 hour in-lab rush service is available if necessary for urgent cases

enCore stands behind our custom mouth guards and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee towards the fit of your guard. We will work with you to adjust your dental night guard to your specifications.

Our guarantee applies to any guard made from an impression compliant with our mandatory impression review process. For any impessions received and/or guard(s) made without our impression approval, enCore reserves the right to void the warranty, refund, and/or free adjustments.

Adjustment requests must be made within 30 days of receiving your guard that you're experiencing an issue. Just reach out to start the process.

More details on our refund policy are located here.

We also proudly stand behind our work with a 6 month limited warranty on our night guards.* Any night guard that fractures or is worn down before 6 months can be returned to us along with your order number and we’ll make a new night guard for free upon review!

As a free service, we store all impressions for 6 months for our customers. During this time, a replacement guard can be made from the original impression. After 6 months, we prefer to start over with a new impression to ensure the accuracy and fit of your guard. The reason for this is that teeth continuously shift over time and any movement could potentially affect the fit and performance of your guard. 

To request a replacement guard, please contact us directly with your order number and a photo of the guard. Guards must be returned to enCore for evaluation prior to remake authorization and customer is responsible for return postage. It is recommended that you use a shipping service with a tracking number to ensure delivery. enCore is not responsible for any returned guards that are lost in the mail.

Please review our refund and remake policy for complete terms and conditions. 

We keep your impression/model for 6 months in our lab. If you lose or damage your night guard within 6 months, we can remake your night guard without you having to take another impression! Just contact us and we can make a new guard for you at a reduced rate.