My dentist told me the same thing about aligners doubling as night guards, but honestly, they didn't hold up well for me either. I grind pretty badly (thanks stress...) and ended up cracking mine after just a couple months. Retainers afterward were way sturdier though—I still use mine nightly and it's been a lifesaver. Did your dentist mention if there are different aligner thicknesses or brands that might handle grinding better? Insurance was basically useless for me too, sadly. Seems like they're always finding creative ways to deny coverage, lol.
"Did your dentist mention if there are different aligner thicknesses or brands that might handle grinding better?"
Mine mentioned something about thicker aligners for grinders, but honestly, I went straight for a custom night guard after cracking two sets myself. Insurance laughed me outta town too...typical.
"Mine mentioned something about thicker aligners for grinders, but honestly, I went straight for a custom night guard after cracking two sets myself."
Yeah, I hear ya on the insurance thing...mine basically told me grinding was "cosmetic"—like seriously? Anyway, my dentist actually steered me away from thicker aligners. Said they're tougher but might slow down tooth movement or something. Ended up using regular aligners during the day and switching to a cheap drugstore guard at night. Worked surprisingly well and saved me from cracking more expensive plastic.
Ugh, insurance companies are wild sometimes... grinding is "cosmetic"? That's a new one for me. I'm just starting out with aligners myself and honestly, the grinding thing has me a bit freaked out. My dentist mentioned thicker aligners too, but now I'm wondering if that's really the best option. I mean, slowing down tooth movement doesn't sound great either.
It's reassuring to hear your drugstore guard worked out okay though. I was worried those might mess up the alignment somehow or not fit right. Did you have to trim it or anything to make it comfortable? I've seen some people online say they had to cut theirs down a bit to avoid gagging or discomfort.
Also, did your dentist say anything about whether using a separate guard at night affects the aligner treatment overall? Mine was kinda vague about it, just said "it should be fine," but you know how it is... I always second-guess these things. Glad to hear it worked out for you though—makes me feel a little less anxious about trying something similar myself.
My dentist was also pretty vague about the separate guard thing, just said it wouldn't hurt anything...but I always wondered if switching between aligners and guards at night might slow down progress. Did your dentist mention anything about wear time affecting results?
