I had a similar experience when I first started aligners. I've been grinding my teeth since forever—stressful job, life, you name it—and initially, the aligners seemed to amplify it. I think part of it was just getting used to having something foreign in my mouth overnight. My dentist explained that sometimes the body reacts by clenching more at first because it's trying to adjust to the new sensation.
Funny enough, after about three months or so, I noticed my grinding actually improved quite a bit. Maybe it was because the aligners were subtly shifting my bite into a better alignment, or maybe I just got used to them and relaxed more at night. Either way, it ended up being a positive change for me long-term.
"maybe I'll just stock up on night guards and hope for the best, lol."
Haha, totally understandable! But just a heads-up from personal experience: stacking night guards on top of aligners can feel pretty bulky at first. I tried that briefly and felt like I was going to bed with half a hockey mask on my teeth...not exactly comfy. Eventually, I ditched the extra guard and relied solely on the aligners themselves. My dentist reassured me they're usually sturdy enough to handle moderate grinding anyway.
One thing I'm curious about though—has anyone else noticed changes in jaw tension or headaches after starting aligners? For me, once the initial adjustment passed, I actually had fewer tension headaches overall (which was a pleasant surprise). Wondering if that's common or if I just lucked out somehow...
I can totally relate to your experience with aligners and grinding. When I first started mine, my jaw felt noticeably tighter and I definitely had more tension headaches for the first few weeks. I think it's pretty common, actually—your muscles are adjusting to a new bite position, so some initial discomfort makes sense.
Funny enough, after a couple months, things improved dramatically for me too. My dentist explained that as your teeth gradually settle into better alignment, it can relieve uneven pressure that's been causing tension. So yeah, you probably didn't just luck out—sounds like your aligners might've genuinely helped ease some of that jaw strain.
About the night guard thing... totally agree. I tried doubling up once and it felt ridiculous, like I was prepping for battle or something, lol. Aligners alone ended up working fine for me too, even with moderate grinding. Glad you're noticing positive changes though—hang in there, it usually gets better with time.
Did your dentist say anything about aligners replacing night guards long-term? I'm considering aligners too, but honestly, the cost makes me hesitate... Wondering if skipping the night guard could offset some of that expense, haha. Curious if anyone else got similar advice from their dentist.
My dentist actually mentioned something similar—said aligners can double as night guards since they stop you from grinding. But she also pointed out that once you're done with aligners, you'll probably still need retainers at night anyway, which also serve as guards. So yeah, it might offset some cost long-term, but maybe not entirely. Have you checked if your insurance covers any of the aligner costs? Mine covered a bit, and it definitely helped ease the sticker shock...
Yeah, my dentist said something similar about aligners doubling as night guards, but honestly, I'm still a bit skeptical. I've been grinding my teeth for years (yay anxiety 🙃), and I worry aligners might be too thin or flimsy to hold up long-term. Retainers afterward make sense though—my sister uses hers religiously at night and swears they help with grinding.
Insurance is hit or miss. Mine barely covered anything, sadly, so it was still pretty pricey. Definitely worth checking into, but don't get your hopes up too high... dental insurance seems designed to disappoint, lol.
