SOVA is a one-of-a-kind nightguard that really – at least in my opinion – is the only viable mid-tier option when it comes to dental night guards.
On one side are special ordered custom molded night guards, designed to be as thin as possible and matching the quality of night guards that you’d get from a dentist’s office. These guards are pricey (often in the $100-$200 range) but still much more affordable than what you’d get at the dentist. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the cheap boil-and-bite guards you can pick up from any pharmacy (more or less useless IMO).
SOVA sits right smack in the middle, and it looks quite peachy there!
Check out our video review here if you want to see this baby in action:
About SOVA
I’d classify SOVA as a higher quality boil-and-bite night guard – except it’s not, technically speaking.
The SOVA doesn’t rely on boiling water – instead, you simply use heated water to loosen up the material for molding. That’s not the only way this guard differs from most boil-and-bites. The SOVA is also much, much, thinner than conventional boil and bite night guards.
The SOVA is made of a special thermoplastic polymer that is re-moldable, biodegradable, and is BPA, latex,Phthalate, and PVC free.
You’ll notice many tiny holes on the SOVA night guard – these perforations are designed to allow a natural flow of air and saliva through the mouthguard, resulting in better durability and a custom fit.
The holes also make it a lot easier to breathe and drink water while wearing the night guard.
How to Mold the SOVA To Your Teeth
Step 1: Place the guard in hot water. When you first open your SOVA box, you’ll see that the guard is initially white, very flat, and very firm. It won’t stay that way for long!
Take the guard and place it for 30 seconds or so in a pot of 140-degree water, it softens up and turns translucent.
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This is where the fun part comes in!
Step 2: Remove translucent guard from the water. Once the material is translucent, you’ll take the softened material into your hands. Make sure to not let the material fold – it can be a bit of a struggle.
Step 3: Mold to your teeth. Bite down on the front of the guard and use your tongue to hold the guard in place. Meanwhile, use your fingers to mold the material up against the front and sides of your teeth. This creates a kind of shield around your gum line. This is definitely a good time to break out a mirror!
Next, close your lips over the guard and suck gently to create suction and keep the guard in place. Wait for the material to fully harden, and then you’re good to go!
It took me several attempts to get the material distributed properly along the sides of my teeth, but I got a great fit eventually.
I also found myself using too much suction initially and getting a fit that was too tight, so make sure to keep the suction gentle when molding.
Step 4: Not happy? Re-do it! The good news is, even if you mess up the molding process, you can re-mold the SOVA guard up to 20 times, so no worries if you mess up during your first few attempts.
SOVA Results & Sleep Test
Initially, the SOVA nightguard felt quite tight when I put it on, but I found that any tightness quickly went away after a minute or so of wearing the guard.
Out of all the boil-and-bite nightguards I tried, SOVA was the most comfortable and easiest to wear while getting a full night of uninterrupted sleep.
In the past, I’ve found myself needing to remove boil-and-bite guards like the Dentex guard several nights throughout the week I tried it due to discomfort and frustration. No issues with the SOVA though.
As an added benefit, I love how easy it is to reform the SOVA.
Shortly after I began wearing my SOVA nightguard, I decided I wanted to start wearing my old retainer again and have a go at straightening out my teeth. I wore the retainer for about a month, and my teeth have been looking much better.
The awesome thing is, I just re-softened the SOVA guard and re-formed it to my new teeth arrangement with no trouble. That’s definitely not something I’ve been able to do with any other night guard on the market.
I have to say, I’m really happy with my results. The guard is super thin and really comfortable. I’ve used it for a few nights now and I’m hooked!
As far as pricing goes, the SOVA much more affordable than custom-molded night guards, so it’s quite a good deal considering the thinness and mold design. While the SOVA still won’t be as thin and customized as an impression mold kit guard would be, the SOVA is very thin, very comfortable, very effective, and affordable, making it an awesome choice for any night gnasher!
And here’s something cool – if you order a SOVA nightguard here through their website and use the code LIFEHEALTH you’ll get 10% off!
If you try SOVA, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below!
SOVA Night Guard
$24.99
Pros
- Easy to reform if your first attempt fails or if your teeth move
- Very thin
- Comfortable
- Very affordable (a great mid-price night guard option)
Cons
- Can be a bit of work to form the night guard around your teeth
What an absolute waste of money. Save your money and get a quality product where you make a dental impression and send it to a lab to have it done. This product is worthless.