Some of those cheaper guards seem like they’re designed to block every possible airway.
Man, right? I tried a boil-and-bite once and felt like I was wearing a mouthful of rubber cement. Custom ones are pricey but at least I don’t wake up drooling or gasping for air. The semi-customs are a gamble—sometimes you win, sometimes you get a weird plastic chew toy.
Custom ones are pricey but at least I don’t wake up drooling or gasping for air.
That’s interesting—do you notice a difference in how thick the custom guards are compared to the boil-and-bite ones? I’m wondering if the bulkiness is what blocks airflow or if it’s more about how well it fits around your teeth and palate. I’ve read that some materials used in cheaper guards can be less flexible, which might also make them feel tighter or more suffocating. Has anyone tried a thinner custom guard and still had breathing issues?
For me, the custom guard was way thinner and just snapped into place, so I barely noticed it after a few nights. The boil-and-bite one felt like I had a mouthful of plastic, and yeah, breathing felt weird sometimes. I think fit makes a huge difference, not just thickness.
- I actually kinda liked the boil-and-bite one at first, just because it was cheap and I could get it right away.
- The thickness was annoying, but I got used to it after a week or so.
- Custom ones sound great for comfort, but are they really worth the extra cost? I’m on the fence since my dentist quoted me almost $400.
- Maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t notice a huge difference in breathing once I got used to the bulkier feel.
- $400 for a mouthguard is wild, honestly. I used a 3D-printed at-home kit (from one of those online companies) and it fit way better than the boil-and-bite, but cost me less than half what my dentist wanted. Didn’t feel as bulky either. Not perfect, but decent value.