Read This First!

In order to create the appliances in this section you will need several basic supplies.

• Parchment paper (same stuff you use for baking on)
• Thermoplastic beads – These are beads that at normal room temperatures are entirely solid but when heated to approximately 140 degrees Fahrenheit /60 degrees Celsius become soft and moldable. You can either find these beads online at Amazon or many craft stores such as Michael’s or Hobby Lobby sell them. I’ve provided several links to different products that I’ve found to work well. The amount of beads in both products is far more than you’ll ever need. You’ll be able to make as many appliances as you’d like with just one container of either of these. I personally use the ThermoMorph beads but either will work the same. The beads in both of these products are made of an identical material (2-
  Oxepanone, homopolymer) to what is used in professional dental applications.

• Something to adjust the appliance. A lot of different tools can work, but I personally like using a Dremel. Again I’ve included links to Amazon for products that I personally use.
  • Dremel – This is my absolute favorite tool around the house. Many people already own one of these. It is extremely useful for many projects around the house and is probably the closest thing you can get to approximate the tools that dentists use to adjust appliances in their office. I’ve got a couple of different links below. The one on the left is the type that I personally use (it’s got better power than the smaller models). The one on the right is the cheapest Dremel kit you can find anywhere (~$24) and will work great for our needs here. If you expect to use it for other projects, you might want to consider a more heavy duty model. Click through to the page and Dremel has a chart that compares the different models.

• If you already own a hot knife, this can also work. If you don’t own either, you should just get a Dremel.

• If you’re going to make a snoring appliance or one of the types of TMJ splints, you’ll also need one additional item. It is a Dentek Comfort-Fit Dental Guard. As a stand alone grinding appliance, it is horrible! Modified and adjusted according to my guides, it is a perfect base.

Please also read our Disclaimer and Privacy Policy Page before beginning. The guides on this website are for informational purposes and do not substitute for professional medical or dental advice. While there are many things you can do at home to help manage your specific problem, there are often times when it should be managed by a professional.