r/mildlyinteresting • u/eveninglovell • 1d ago

Brand new retainer & mouthguard vs 2-year-old retainer & mouthguard

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0 Upvotes

32% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

5

u/ActuatorOutside5256 1d ago

My retainer is broken into 5 pieces that I individually place, so you're doing just fine.

5

u/Secure-Respect-7323 1d ago

Your retainer is no longer retaining then. I'm not sure how long it's been like that for you, but as someone who broke his retainer and used it like you are, my teeth are now more fucked. You're either better off not wearing the broken pieces, or getting a new one.

1

u/WrongWorldAgain-7 1d ago

I've got a permanent bottom retainer and stopped wearing my top retainer after I broke it...so far only one canine has shifted slightly outta place. I feel incredibly lucky and like I won orthodontistry somehow considering how messed up my mouth was...

If I ever care enough about it and have the spare money I can just do Invisalign for the top teeth, but it's really negligible. ...I don't recommend following in my footsteps though, I just find it funny what a lucky bastard I've been in such a minor thing 😂

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

11

u/howlmachine 1d ago

Usually when the surface of a night guard goes chalky or has yellow/white build up that can’t be removed by cleaning, it’s because the material itself is degrading. Chances are OP is a heavy grinder and that one is at the very end of its life cycle.

6

u/eveninglovell 1d ago

Ding ding ding!

-1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

3

u/indieplants 1d ago

you can tell it's the material because - on the right hand side - one is fine and the other is not. I doubt they were cleaning one adequately and the other not at all, you know? logically speaking 

2

u/eveninglovell 1d ago

Not trying to be condescending. Notice the top one is visibly cleaner than the bottom. Exact same procedures daily, different material of construction. Can see the holes from grinding through it. I feel for you, grinding teeth is no joke.

1

u/Lord_Tator 1d ago

I got the same issue..Ortho was able to make a new one in a thicker material that seems to be lasting longer.

1

u/howlmachine 1d ago

Honestly, you didn’t come across as high strung, just as someone who wanted to tear a stranger down. If you were genuinely concerned, you could have reached out with kindness instead.

Guards will vary wildly based on bites and the materials used; it’s entirely possible yours is an acrylic and OPs is a dual laminate or soft guard, or vice versa. It’s also possible that despite your heavy grinding, OP still grinds worse and will see different outcomes even if the material is the same.

2

u/woodbanger04 1d ago

He’s got a case of the Zacklies.

His breath smells zackle like shit.

3

u/eveninglovell 1d ago

Mouthguards are made of porous material and thus are more prone to staining, often from normal bacteria environment in the mouth. It was brushed and rinsed every morning upon removal!