I totally hear you on the aggressive grinding issue—I’ve been there myself. Honestly, two years sounds pretty decent considering how much wear and tear mouthguards go through nightly. I usually get around 18 months tops before mine starts feeling off, but I grind like I'm trying to chew through concrete, haha.
You make a good point about teeth shifting too. I notice the fit changes even when I keep it super clean, probably because our bites naturally shift over time—especially as we age or have dental work done. Still, soaking with denture tablets has definitely helped me keep it fresher for longer. It might not extend the lifespan dramatically, but it keeps things comfortable and less...icky.
Anyway, hang in there—sounds like you're doing everything right already. Hopefully the soaking trick helps a bit more than the shaving-down method did. Fingers crossed!
Two years sounds pretty good actually—my kiddo's mouthguard barely makes it a year before it's chewed up or doesn't fit right anymore. Curious if anyone's noticed grinding getting better or worse with age...hoping he'll grow out of it eventually.
Two years is pretty impressive, honestly. I've seen some kids chew through theirs in just a few months—it's like they're secretly training to be professional mouthguard destroyers. From what I've observed, grinding often eases up as kids get older and their jaws develop more fully. My own daughter was a champion grinder at 8, but by the time she hit her teens, it tapered off significantly. Fingers crossed your kiddo follows suit...and your wallet gets a break too.
Two years sounds great to me. I'm new to the whole mouthguard thing and honestly wasn't sure what to expect. Mine's only a few months old, and it's already looking pretty rough around the edges—literally. I'm probably grinding harder than I thought, or maybe I'm just secretly competing with those kids you mentioned, haha. Good to hear that grinding might ease up over time, though. Definitely gives me some hope that I won't be replacing mine every few months forever...and my dentist can stop giving me that worried look at every check-up.
"Mine's only a few months old, and it's already looking pretty rough around the edges—literally."
Haha, I feel you on that one. When I first started using mine, it looked like I'd been chewing on it in my sleep or something. Have you checked with your dentist about adjusting the material or thickness? Sometimes getting a slightly sturdier custom-made guard can make a huge difference in durability. Also, are you cleaning it regularly and storing it properly? I found that keeping mine clean and dry during the day helped it last longer and prevented that weird discoloration.
And yeah, grinding does tend to ease up for some people over time, especially if stress or lifestyle factors change. Have you noticed if your grinding gets worse during stressful periods? Mine definitely does... Anyway, hang in there—it usually gets better!
