Yeah, I totally get what you mean about the bulkiness. The first night with my boil-and-bite, I felt like I was trying to sleep with a mouthful of Legos—definitely not the most glamorous look either. But honestly, after a few nights of awkward drooling and mumbling, my mouth just kind of gave up fighting it. I guess desperation (and the price tag on the custom ones) won out for me.
I haven’t noticed my bite shifting or anything weird with my teeth so far, but I do check in the mirror every once in a while just to make sure nothing’s gone rogue. There’s always that low-key paranoia that I’ll wake up with my teeth pointing in new directions, but so far, so good. I figure as long as I’m not clenching like a maniac or waking up with jaw pain, it’s probably doing its job.
I hear you on the jaw aches though. I had a couple mornings where it felt like I’d chewed through a pack of gum in my sleep, but it kind of faded after the first week. Maybe my jaw just gave up arguing with me, who knows. I will say, if I ever start feeling anything off—or if my teeth start to feel loose again—I’ll probably bite the bullet (ha) and get the custom one. Until then, I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping my bargain bin special holds up.
Props to you for going custom, though. If money grew on trees, I’d probably be right there with you. At the end of the day, whatever keeps the teeth from wiggling is a win in my book.
I guess desperation (and the price tag on the custom ones) won out for me.
Honestly, same here. I looked at the cost of a custom guard and just couldn’t justify it right now. My dentist kept pushing for one, but the boil-and-bite was like a tenth of the price, so that’s what I went with. First couple nights were rough—felt like I had a plastic mouthful and woke up drooling more than I’d like to admit. But after a week or so, my jaw stopped feeling sore and it became just another weird bedtime routine.
I do worry about my teeth shifting, but I check every morning too. Haven’t noticed anything off yet. There’s always that little voice in my head saying maybe I’ll regret not going custom down the road, but for now, it’s working. Plus, if it gets gross or loses shape, I can just grab another one without breaking the bank.
Jaw aches were definitely a thing at first. Kind of felt like I’d been chewing on pencils all night. But after a while, my jaw seemed to get used to it—either that or it just gave up fighting me. Not exactly comfortable, but way better than waking up with wobbly teeth.
If something starts feeling off, I’ll probably have to rethink things. But until then, I’m sticking with the cheap option. Can’t say I love it, but my wallet does.
Reading this makes me feel a little less weird about the drooling, haha. I’m using a boil-and-bite right now too and honestly, the first week was so awkward. I kept waking up half convinced I’d choke on it or something. My jaw was sore but it’s not as bad lately. Still, I keep wondering if the cheap ones can mess up your bite in the long run? My dentist wasn’t thrilled but my bank account’s happier for now. I just hope I’m not trading one problem for another down the line…
I get where you’re coming from—those boil-and-bite guards can feel pretty weird at first. I remember trying one during my dental school days (on a dare, honestly) and waking up with a sore jaw and a puddle on my pillow. The drooling does settle down, but I do agree with your dentist here—those over-the-counter guards aren’t made for your bite, and I’ve seen folks end up with shifting teeth or jaw pain. I know the custom ones aren’t cheap, but sometimes a good fit saves you headaches later. Still, if it’s working for you and your jaw’s adjusting, that’s a win for now. Just keep an eye out for any changes in how your teeth fit together or new aches popping up.
I totally get the concern about custom guards being pricey, but honestly, I’ve had a different experience with boil-and-bite ones. Mine actually fit pretty well after a bit of fiddling, and my orthodontist wasn’t too worried as long as I checked in regularly. I guess everyone’s mouth is different. For me, it was a relief to find something affordable that helped with the wiggling, even if it’s not perfect. If it starts messing with my bite, I’ll definitely reconsider, but so far, so good.
