The internet has become a valuable resource for finding a high quality place to order your custom night guards, specially fitted for your teeth. These custom guards can be done in three to four weeks and cost around $ 150 to $ 200. Online retailers have the same quality as dentists and can provide a dedicated night guard in about three to four weeks. Here are some tips to consider before making your choice:
First, get it right. Custom-made mouth protection fits better than one that is available over the counter. It will be more comfortable and maintain its shape than an over-the-counter mouth guard, which will not protect your teeth as effectively as a dedicated one. Perfect fitting is important, and an online lab will make sure you get the right fit every time. It will also be easier to maintain mouth protection if it fits properly.
Make an impression. You can take an impression at home or order a special guard through a dentist. Tailor-made mouth guards are more accurate. However, if you do not feel comfortable with a guard made by the dentist, you can make one yourself. You can also order a specially fitted mouthguard directly from the online dental lab. There are several benefits to both of these methods, but the former is more accurate and convenient.
A suitable nightguard is made of high quality material and designed to fit well. The night guard is comfortable to wear, and protects the teeth and does not interfere with your natural bite. It will not move, swing, or put uneven pressure on your teeth while you sleep. Plus, it won’t slide out of your teeth overnight. In addition to being more durable, these specially adapted night guards will not switch or rock overnight.
A dedicated night guard can help prevent bruxism and other problems caused by grinding teeth. It can prevent TMJ, grinding teeth, and other issues associated with TMJ and jaw pain. And since dental lab night guards are more comfortable and affordable, they will last longer than the options purchased from the store. So, when you need a specially adapted night guard, look no further than the dental lab.
There are several reasons for bruxism. In addition to bruxism, a dentist may recommend the use of a night guard to correct malocclusion. By addressing all of these issues, dental appliances work more effectively. A specially adapted night guard can also help prevent tooth decay and tooth loss. Your dentist may also recommend a specially designed night guard to improve your oral health and prevent future problems related to your teeth.
Folks who lighten their teeth during sleep rely on specially equipped guards for prevention. For the sellers of those guards, a complication is the custom fitting. It requires an exact impression of the teeth, which presumably requires a visit in person.
But not if the seller is Pro Teeth Guard, an online dental lab based in San Diego, California that sells custom-made tooth guards. Its mail-in printing process facilitates custom manufacturing – and satisfied customers.
I recently spoke with JP Ji, co-founder of Pro Teeth Guard. It has addressed the challenges of production, customer service, marketing, and more.
The full audio of that interview is incorporated below. The transcript is edited and condensed.
Eric Bandholz: Tell us about the Pro Teeth Guard.
JP Ji: We sell specially fitted mouth guards for people who brush their teeth when they sleep. We send kit to customers. They take an impression of their teeth and return it to us. We then manufacture the mouth guard and send the complete product to the buyer. We offer adjustments, one year warranty, and 60 day money back guarantee.
We started the business in 2012 when my mother started a lab serving local dentists. We now have nine employees and just over $ 1 million in annual revenue. During the Covid, many dentists closed. At the time, online sales had become a minor part of the business, probably 5% of overall revenue. So we said, “Let’s focus on our e-commerce site.”
Currently, the dental laboratory only serves the e-commerce business. My mother is responsible for the technical aspect of manufacturing the product and making sure it fits perfectly. I’m in charge of marketing, customer service, and finance.
We use a scorecard for each role within the company – inspired by Geoff Smart’s “Who: The Method for Hiring”. Each position has key results. We also have what we call “stretching outcomes.” A key outcome for a customer service employee is being able to follow processes, answer questions, and provide great experience. A strict result is the discovery of opportunities for improvement, such as better efficiency.
I ask employees, “What did you suggest this year or this quarter for improvement?” They will not be negatively affected or disciplined if they do not perform a stretch goal, but it is part of the role. We refer to customer service as “customer happiness.” Everyone in our company is a manager of customer happiness.
Bandholz: You have 24/7 support. How does it work?
Ji: We use a third party live chat service called HelpFlow. It uses our internal list of frequently asked questions. We collect all the questions we received via email and phone calls, build the list, and send it to them. Over time, HelpFlow staff is improved by updating internal FAQs. We have used the service for seven years. Eighty percent of customer service questions can now be answered based on previous support tickets.
Most chat agents are foreign. Agents are assigned to multiple clients, not just us. They report on a metric called “chatted revenue.” They can document, “This customer chatted with us and then converted.” Some customers may have converted regardless, but the conversion rate for those who were involved in chats is about 10 times higher than those who were not. The service charges a monthly fee. Scale based on volume, which works out to a few dollars per chat.
Bandholz: You also use a conversion optimization firm.
Ji: Yes. The firm, Conversion Crimes, conducts user testing to detect frictional points on a website and where people are confused. Conversion Crimes sends a buyer who matches our target audience to our site – someone who needs a night watch. The firm registers the person navigating the site with specific steps and indications. For example, the steps might be, “Land on the page. Scroll. click on anything. What is this page about? ” It tests whether a page conveys the purpose of our brand, website or product – on mobile and desktop.
We send those registrations to people in our user interface agency. They will take notes and address those limitations. After living with a new design, we will repeat the process with another text.
Here’s an example. We have learned that it is difficult for people to know which of our products to buy. We have four custom night guards, all similar but with different thickness and materials. Customers want to know which one they need. So we integrated a quiz to help. Based on the answers, I will recommend the best product. That quiz has a high level of engagement.
Bandholz: What is your marketing strategy?
Ji: We started very strong on search engine optimization in 2012. It was easier then. So that has been our main channel for a long time, SEO and Google Ads. We had our ups and downs with the Google algorithm. We’ve had updates that have halved our traffic over time. Then we recovered. Now customers from organic search are about 15% to 20% of total revenue.
We still use Google Ads. And affiliates are a great channel – about 25% of revenue – because many are masters at SEO. Whether you’re looking for the best mouth guard, night guard, or the best watch for grinding teeth, our affiliates are typically the best one, two or three results.
The rest is email marketing. We never break Facebook Ads. For a while, we used to run retargeting ads on Facebook. That was good. But even then, after the iOS 14.5 updates, retargeting was not profitable for us. We probably spent the equivalent of a Honda Civic on Facebook Ads and never got a return.
We’ve nailed our content marketing process pretty well. So far, it’s almost all for SEO. But people don’t always search on Google for questions about mouth guards and grinding teeth. So we’re looking to invest in videos, like on YouTube and TikTok.
Competitor started TikTok channel. One of their videos on tooth grinding on TikTok got over a million views. We are looking to unlock TikTok and the creator market to try similar things.
Bandholz: Where can people learn more about you?
Ji: Our website is ProTeethGuard.com. I’m on Twitter and LinkedIn.
