Night Guards and Splints with Keystone Pro-Form Materials

Keystone Pro-Form materials let you make night guards and splints in house: Pro-Form Niteguards for soft guards that resist grinding, Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket for hard/soft bruxism splints, and Soft EVA for lighter soft guards. Chase Dental Supply carries each of these Keystone Industries sheets, and this guide explains which one to choose for each patient and how to form it.

Key Takeaways

• Pro-Form Niteguards are a soft/soft laminate made specifically for night guards and built to resist abrasion from grinding.
• Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket pairs a soft liner for comfort with a hard surface for long-lasting wear in bruxing cases.
• Acrylic bonds to the hard side of the Dual Laminate, so technicians can adjust the occlusal surface.
• Soft EVA Material and Mouthguard Resin Sheets are soft alternatives for lighter soft guards.
• All of these sheets form on a Keystone vacuum former and trim cleanly with a heated knife.

What Are Night Guards and Splints Made From?

Night guards and splints are usually vacuum formed from thermoplastic sheets: soft EVA, layered soft laminates, or hard/soft dual laminates. The right choice depends on how heavily the patient grinds, how much rigidity the dentist wants, and whether the occlusal surface will be adjusted.

A night guard is a removable appliance worn during sleep to protect teeth from grinding and clenching. An occlusal splint is a more rigid appliance that a dentist may prescribe and adjust for bite-related cases. The dentist always determines the design, and the lab or practice selects the sheet that fits that prescription.

Which Keystone Material Should I Use for Night Guards and Splints?

Use Pro-Form Niteguards for soft guards that need to stand up to grinding, Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket for hard/soft bruxism splints, and Soft EVA for lighter soft appliances. Each is formed from a 5×5 sheet on a vacuum former.

Keystone Pro-Form Niteguards

Keystone Pro-Form Niteguards are a laminated, layered soft/soft material made specifically for night guards. Keystone notes that the layering gives the thermoplastic more abrasion resistance, so it withstands grinding better than traditional soft sheet materials.

The sheets are .120 (3mm) thick and come as 5×5 (127 x 127mm) squares or rounds, 12 per pack. They are a strong default for labs and practices that make a steady volume of soft night guards.

Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket

Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket combines two materials in a single laminated sheet, made especially for bruxing cases. The soft liner supports patient comfort, while the hard surface supports long-lasting wear.

Acrylic bonds to the hard surface, which lets the technician modify the occlusal surface after forming. The clear 5×5 sheets come in .080, .120 or .200 thicknesses (2, 3 and 5mm), 12 per package.

Keystone Soft EVA Material

Keystone Soft EVA Material is a soft, clear sheet that is easily formed and trimmed. Keystone lists soft bruxing appliances among its uses, along with bleaching trays, custom fluoride trays and model duplication, in packs of 25 or 300.

Keystone Mouthguard Resin Sheets

Keystone Mouthguard Resin Sheets are soft .160 (4mm) sheets designed for energy absorption, and Keystone recommends them for both mouthguards and niteguards. They are available in packs of 25 or 300.

Soft Night Guard vs Hard/Soft Splint: What’s the Difference?

A soft night guard is fully flexible, while a hard/soft splint has a rigid outer surface over a soft liner. This table compares the Keystone sheets used for each, based on Keystone’s published specifications.

If an athlete also needs protection on the field, a sports guard is a separate appliance. Our guide to custom mouthguards with Keystone laminates and EVA covers those materials.

How Do You Fabricate a Night Guard on a Vacuum Former?

You fabricate a night guard by forming the selected sheet over an accurate stone model, cooling it on the model, then trimming and polishing the borders. Heat times and sag vary by material and thickness, so follow Keystone’s instructions for use for each sheet.

• Form on a reliable unit such as the Keystone Machine III Vacuum Former or the compressor-driven Keystone Proline Air Vac 2000. Our Keystone vacuum former buyer's guide compares the options.
• Chill the appliance with Keystone Insta Cool, which Keystone recommends for better adaptation and faster production.
• Trim with the Pro-Form Electric Knife, which has 10 amps of power for extra heat at the tip and handles splints, mouthguards and trays.
• Smooth the edges, then check fit and occlusion with the dentist’s prescription.

Mounting and adjusting splints

When a dentist wants occlusal adjustments on a hard/soft splint, mounted models make the work more predictable. Our Hanau and Whip Mix articulator buyer's guide covers articulators for labs and schools.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Keystone material is best for night guards?

Keystone Pro-Form Niteguards are a layered soft/soft laminate made specifically for night guards. The layering makes the sheet more abrasion resistant, so it withstands grinding better than traditional soft sheet materials. It is .120 (3mm) thick and comes in 5×5 squares or rounds, 12 per pack.

What is a hard/soft dual laminate splint?

A hard/soft dual laminate splint is formed from a single sheet that bonds a soft inner liner to a hard outer surface. Keystone’s Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket uses this design for bruxing cases: the soft liner supports patient comfort, the hard surface supports long-lasting wear, and acrylic bonds to the hard side so the technician can modify the occlusal surface.

What thicknesses does Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket come in?

Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket is available in .080, .120 and .200 thicknesses, which Keystone lists as 2, 3 and 5mm. The sheets are clear, 5×5 inches, and packed 12 per package. The dentist should specify the thickness for each case.

Can I add acrylic to a vacuum formed night guard?

It depends on the material. Keystone states that acrylic bonds to the hard surface of Pro-Form Dual Laminates E-Gasket, which allows occlusal adjustments and build-ups. Soft EVA sheets are generally not chosen for acrylic additions, so use a hard or hard/soft material when you plan to modify the occlusal surface.

Can soft EVA be used for night guards?

Yes. Keystone lists soft bruxing appliances among the uses for its Soft EVA Material, along with bleaching trays, custom fluoride trays and model duplication. For patients who grind heavily, the layered Pro-Form Niteguards or the hard/soft Dual Laminates E-Gasket are designed for more demanding wear.

See every brand we carry in our dental lab and office supply brands guide. Chase Dental Supply stocks Keystone Industries night guard and splint materials along with the vacuum formers, knives and finishing supplies that go with them. For product questions or bulk orders, email sales@chasedentalsupply.com.