I've been wondering something similar—does anyone know if the OTC guards last as long as the dentist-made ones? I tried one from the pharmacy, and it worked okay for a while, but after a few months it started feeling loose and uncomfortable...not sure if that's typical or if I just got unlucky. Curious if others have had better luck with durability.
"after a few months it started feeling loose and uncomfortable...not sure if that's typical or if I just got unlucky."
Mine did the same thing after about two months, so maybe it's common with OTC guards. I'm getting fitted for a dentist-made one next week—hoping it'll last longer and feel better. Has anyone noticed a big comfort difference between pharmacy ones and custom-made? Slightly nervous about the fitting process too...
Has anyone noticed a big comfort difference between pharmacy ones and custom-made? Slightly nervous about the fitting process too...
I switched from OTC to a dentist-made guard last year, and honestly, the comfort difference was pretty noticeable. The fitting was quick and painless too—just a weird feeling having the mold in your mouth for a minute or two...but totally worth it.
I noticed the same thing when I switched to a custom guard about three years ago. The pharmacy ones always felt bulky and kind of awkward—I kept waking up at night because it shifted around. When I finally got one made by my dentist, the difference was immediate. It fit snugly, didn't move around, and was way thinner, so it didn't feel like I had a hockey puck in my mouth all night, lol.
The molding process was honestly weird but not uncomfortable. It just felt odd having that gooey stuff pressed against my teeth for a minute or two. My dentist was pretty chill about it though, made conversation and distracted me, which helped a lot.
Also, as a side note, ignoring teeth grinding isn't a great idea. I learned that the hard way—ended up cracking a tooth from long-term grinding without protection. Definitely something to avoid if you can help it...
"The molding process was honestly weird but not uncomfortable. It just felt odd having that gooey stuff pressed against my teeth for a minute or two."
Haha, totally relate to this! I remember thinking, "is this stuff ever gonna come off my teeth?" But yeah, custom guards are a game changer. Mine even helped reduce morning headaches—didn't realize how much tension grinding caused until it stopped. Definitely worth the initial awkwardness of the mold...
