Mandibular advancing mouthpieces or devices have been without doubt shown to be effective in treating snoring and sleep apnea. A group of doctors commissioned by The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reviewed many studies and recommended the use of mandibular advancing mouthpieces as a first line treatment for snoring and sleep apnea. There are many types of such mouthpieces available, some require professional help and are expensive and some are self fitting type but are less expensive. There are also several OTC anti snoring mouthpieces. The question is which one works best for you. There are two important factors to consider. First will the device be comfortable enough to tolerate having in your mouth all night? Second, will the device advance my lower jaw adequately to relieve snoring and sleep apnea? The custom made mouthpieces tend to be smaller and are likely to be more comfortable. The self fitted mouthpieces are usually the largest, and tend to cause most gum irritation, excessive drooling, gagging and pain. In either case they are full dentition devices and fit all around the teeth. There is a new device called RidSnore, this anti snoring device allows you to advance your lower jaw by 5 or 8 mm and fits on the front teeth. It requires no boiling or fitting. Unlike all other full dentition mouthpieces, RidSnore is comfortable, and causes no gum irritation, pain, gagging or drooling. RidSnore uses a chinstrap to keep the jaws together so the mouthpiece stays in place during sleep. The chinstrap is adjustable and is designed for comfort. More information about RidSnore can be found on www.ridsnore.com and on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdosJA3pAqw
Remember that if you snore, you are likely to have sleep apnea. If you cannot see a doctor about your snoring, then look for a good anti snoring device. In general, snoring preceded sleep apnea. If snoring is stopped by the mouthpiece, you can almost be sure that sleep apnea is not likely to occur. The benefits of mouthpieces that advance the lower jaw have been documented my many studies and are recommended by doctors. The bottom line is that you need to choose an anti snoring mouthpiece that you can tolerate having in your mouth. There is no use for any mouthpiece that would be uncomfortable and hard to keep in the mouth during sleep. Beware of the inexpensive mouthpieces: they are nothing more than a sports mouth guard. You are asked to boil them and remold them to your teeth while holding your lower jaw forward. It is not a simple or reliable process. Beware also of other OTC snoring remedies such as sprays, nasal strips, nasal dilators, or pillows. They only make breathing easier through the nose and sinuses, but have no effect on snoring and sleep apnea.