Straightening out my teeth without braces—my experience

"I've been managing okay with a night guard for now—though I do worry if it's just a temporary fix."

Yeah, I totally get that concern... I used a night guard for a while too, but eventually went for orthodontics because my dentist mentioned potential long-term issues. Did your dentist say anything about possible complications from relying solely on a night guard? I'm curious if it's more about alignment or just preventing grinding damage.

I had a similar experience—used a night guard for about two years thinking it was enough. It definitely helped with grinding, but eventually I noticed my teeth were still shifting slightly, especially my bottom front ones. My dentist at the time didn't really mention alignment issues, just focused on preventing damage from grinding. Later on, when I switched dentists (moved cities), the new one pointed out that the guard wasn't addressing the root cause of my shifting teeth and recommended looking into orthodontics or aligners.

Honestly, I was skeptical at first because braces seemed like overkill for minor shifting. But after doing some research and talking to friends who went through similar stuff, I realized that sometimes a night guard alone isn't enough if alignment is part of the issue. Not saying that's always the case, but it's worth getting another opinion if you're worried about long-term stability. Either way, you're definitely not alone in wondering if it's just a temporary fix... been there myself!

Totally agree about the night guard—it helped me stop grinding, but didn't do much for alignment. I looked into aligners too, but the cost made me hesitate. Ended up trying a cheaper at-home brand after tons of research and reading reviews. Worked surprisingly well for minor shifting, but I'd definitely recommend thorough research first... not all at-home options are created equal, and some can cause more harm than good.

"Worked surprisingly well for minor shifting, but I'd definitely recommend thorough research first... not all at-home options are created equal"

That's a fair point, but I'd still advise caution. I've seen patients who initially had decent results with at-home aligners, only to face unexpected bite issues later on. Professional oversight can really make a difference long-term.

Fair enough, but honestly, even the pros aren't foolproof. My cousin went the full dentist-supervised route and still ended up with bite issues down the road. Sometimes teeth just have a mind of their own, lol. I'd say whichever path you take, keeping regular check-ins (and realistic expectations...) is key.