are those mouthpieces pretty much generic??? are the re-closable clamps a good idea??? whose idea was it to use those stupid cable clamps anyway???

i don't have "local" support as i bought the equipment from the internet and it is not time to send the reg back to the factory for service - is this mouthpiece replacement a user do-able thing???

the current mouthpiece developed a tear...talk about bubbles...where the heck are those coming from???

Mouthpieces can be generic...or they can be semi-custom. You should be able to walk into any dive shop and pick up a generic mouth piece that will fit your regulator. That, and a zip tie, and you can easily do the replacement yourself.
There are also more custom mouthpieces, like a Sea Cure mouthpiece (www.seacure1.com) that you can also do yourself, but they become molded to your mouth for a better fit, and much less jaw fatigue.

hi mike,

have you tried one of the "custom" fit??? does that "molding" in hot water really work??? do you have to "refresh" occasionally???

thanks in advance,

Bob, I'm not Mike, but just saw this thread... I've got a Sea Cure mouthpiece on my Sherwood Oasis regulator, and it's fantastic. The mouthpiece that comes standard with the reg was rather large and uncomfortable for me. After a live-aboard trip last August, my mouth was so sore that I knew I had to change the mouthpiece. I had major jaw surgery in June of 2000, and have permanently bonded retainers on the insides of my teeth, so custom seemed the way to go. I bought a Sea Cure mouthpiece before a trip to Bonaire back in September.

What a difference! The Sea Cure fits so well, I never think about having something in my mouth. It was easy to mold (yes, the hot water thing really works) and I haven't had to "refresh" it. The instructions were well-written, and they do say the mouthpiece can be re-molded if necessary. Oh - and the Sea Cure comes in different sizes, so make sure you get the correct one for your specific regulator. All the info is at their web site:
http://www.seacure1.com

I don't work for Sea Cure or have any connection with them... just think their product is great.

Best regards, --Deborah

thank you deborah

i just wanted to check before shelling out $27.95 for a seacure type II (leisurepro.com)

Bob, I love my seacure as well and yes I do refresh it every year just to make sure it is still a comfortable fit..

BTW, the recloseable clamp thing Scubapro is using to attach mouthpieces doesn't fit over/around the Seacure or the Comfobite (mouthpiece I use). While the little clamp thing is amusing, it's hard to beat the basic black zip-tie.

thanks dan for that head's-up as well...i guess i'll carry an extra mouthpiece and some zips in my "save-a-dive" kit...

I'm late getting back to you Bob, but you've been well taken care of by everyone. I too use the Sea Cure mouthpiece, on a US Divers reg, and I love it. I've been using it for 5 or 6 years now and it has made a huge difference in mouth/jaw fatigue for me. I have never refreshed it, but like has been said, you can if you want/need to.

The heat moldable mouthpieces are made of a plastic that softens when heated and rehardens when it cools. It does not 'relax' after being molded to your mouth so refreshing isn't necessary. Can be cylced many times. I have not used a SeaCure but did use the old orange 'bitewings'-- I agree with the above comment that you really don't know you have a regulator in your mouth. So different from a stock mouthpiece.

Am I using one now: no, but only because I have not found a SeaCure to fit the large tube on my Sherwood/Poseidon sidesaddle second stage and haven't found the bitewings either.

One extra thought about tie-wraps on mouthpieces. The plastic of the tie hardens with age and sometimes cracks and then breaks. Underwater that can leave you with a mouthpiece and no regulator. 'Talk about bubbles!!!' I add one or two of a smaller size tie wrap for 'belt and suspenders' and a nod to the corollary of Murphy's Law that says the things you are prepared for don't happen.

As we age.. our mouth does change a bit...as does our bite.. I refresh it every year to insure I won't have a problem wearing it for the first dive of the season

No harm done for insurance! :–)

Follow-up report: after reading these posts in January, I went and purchased a SeaCure mouthpiece to replace my old standard. Wow! Over the course of a two-week, dive-dive-dive trip, I never once had the aching jaw I had previously experienced. I am so happy with the new, custom-fit mouthpiece!

well geez...i have not boiled mine yet...was waiting to see how much of my dental work i could get in first...

let's see...in the last 18 months, #8 root-canal and crown, #5 extracted and 3 tooth bridge installed, #18 hemi-section and root canal and crown, #33 hemi-section and root canal and crown (no crown yet)...i think the peridontist, the orthodonist, and the general dentist now can all afford to come with me next time

does a better fitting mouthpiece improve air consumption?

LOL, Bob - I just had the "last" of my tooth renovations done a couple of weeks before our trip.

I don't know if the mouthpiece was a factor, but I had lots and lots of air left over every dive, more than usual. Good luck with yours!