Anti Snoring Mouthpiece Buyers Guide
Snoring is in many cases a habitual thing especially for adults of over 50 years of age. Actually, estimates done in USA and Canada show that about 25% of women and 40% of men snore on a very regular basis. Therefore, getting the appropriate anti-snoring devices that can help suppress the situation is very beneficial both in the short and long term.
When looking for the right antisnoring mouthpieces, you are likely to get a whole lot of varied opinions on products and solutions with contrasting opinions, even from the experts. Although most people understand the importance of mouthpieces in sports like boxing, they tend to be unaware of their major benefits in regards to snoring although the mouthpiece is somewhat different in its design. The vast Selection of anti-snoring devices available come in all shapes and sizes and the wide selection can be overwhelming when all you are looking for is simple direction and advice. For a lot of people they unsure as to what to look for in order to make the right selection when going about selecting an anti-snoring device. Others people are wondering if they require such devices or indeed may be wondering if another solution will work better for them. If this is your struggle right now, this article is in your best interest and hopefully it will help you to select the perfect Anti Snoring Mouthpiece Device for your needs.
This article will act as a guide that will help you explore the range of anti-snoring technology available while listing the basic tips that one should consider when buying an anti-snoring mouthpiece, either for themselves or someone they know.
Reasons why Anti-snoring mouthpieces are good
There are several benefits that many people will realize by using snoring mouthpieces over other snoring aids. One is that they are reasonably priced therefore they are pocket-friendly and affordable for the vast majority of people. In reality you are essentially investing in improving your health and wellbeing for a small outlay of money.
Although the mouthpieces themselves may not work for all people with 100% certainty, they happen to be some of the best products in the market that actually come with a money back guarantee. As a result, you will always be sure of a refund if the product doesn’t meet your needs.
An anti-snoring mouthpiece is always a good choice that will help you say goodbye to your snoring issues. All in all, choosing the right devices is never an easy job especially if don’t have the right guidelines or know what to look out for before buying. Below we will highlight some of the basic considerations for getting the right anti-snoring mouthpiece and moving closer to getting a better night’s sleep once and for all.
Choosing the Right Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece
A good anti snore mouthpiece is one that fits your needs and lifestyle. We recommend to start by visiting your doctor to get a check-up and have your health and snoring condition assessed to be confident there is no other underlying health concerns to factor into the equation relating to your snoring. After his there are a few basic factors that you can consider before making a purchase. First off mouthpieces that help to prevent snoring come in two categories, The MAD and The TAD/TRD.
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MADs Vs TADs
The MAD (Mandibular Adjustment Devices). These are the most common anti-snoring devices on the market today. They work simply by expanding the airways while moving the lower mandible forward and pressing the tongue and other muscles involved in breathing down. Most of these muscles are the ones attached to the mandibles.
These devices are mostly moulded to the user’s teeth structure or may have an adjustable tray on the lower part which is often adjustable to front or back. Some of these devices are also designed to be used with the CPAP and BiPAP machines and in such cases, the device works just like the standard BiPAP or CPAP machines.
The TADs (Tongue Retaining devices). Unlike the devices used to adjust the mandibular, these particular ones are used to stabilize the tongue by pulling the tongue forward and expanding the gap between the back of the throat and the tongue. The general outlook of this tongue stabilizing device looks like the clear pacifiers. Basically, the tongue should fit into the opening at the front of the device.
This should create some kind of a suction which then pulls the tongue downwards as well as away from the backside of the tongue. Normally, the tongue stabilizing devices will not require the moulding procedure. There is one size that is designed to fit all users.
Although most people will always prefer using the mandibular adjustment devices, you should consider consulting your doctor or dental practitioner for the best fit. You might actually be one of those people that may benefit from the tongue stabilizing devices. People with dentures or deficiencies with their teeth would fall into this category. Either way these are the two main options people select in this category. Now that the types of mouthpiece has been discussed let’s go on now and consider the other relevant factors to consider concerning the two types of mouthpieces previously mentioned. The first being ease of use.
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The ease of use
Although most of the Mandibular adjustment devices are custom made by certain dentists, you should always consider one that will not be so much of a hassle to fit. Devices with a good adjustability are always the best fit. Most of the mouthpieces come with about two or three settings. The incremental settings are normally scaled down to about 1mm.
The MADs will prevent snoring simply by pulling the tongue as well as any other muscles around it to ensure that the airways are not blocked. In that case, the tissues are tightened by the MAD device and the airways are kept open during the night. Air will then flow in well without any obstructions. When such obstructions are taken care of, the snoring is taken care of too.
Unlike the TSDs, the MADs are a little larger because they work inside the mouth rather than just holding the tongue in place. They look more like the mouth guards worn by boxers when they go for fights. They rest inside the mouth and they fit around the jaws by being held between the lower and upper teeth.
The TSDs, on the other hand, are essentially best used to take care of the mild snoring conditions. Especially in people whose snoring issues are caused by having large tonsils or tongue in the mouth. Such conditions are more likely to cause blockage or reduction of the airways. With the TSDs, you will be able to stabilize the tongue in a position that will not cause blockage of your airways.
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Materials
With the recent technological advancements in the medical industry, gone are the days when you could settle for the uncomfortable remedies and solutions of the past, using unrefined products and materials. Nowadays health approved polymers have been designed and created which means users can now mould them to fit their mouth perfectly. This makes the devices very easy to use and adjustable, and essentially provides a custom fit you would struggle to get even after forking out hundreds if not thousands to a dental practitioner on a one to one basis.
With these revolutionary boil and bite type anti snoring devices all you have to do is place them in hot water then wait until they cool down a little. You should then proceed to put the anti-snoring mouthpiece in the mouth biting down on the material and you will immediately have a close-fitting device moulded to the shape of your mouth. This will ensure that you benefit fully from the devices benefits and save yourself a small fortune in the process.
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Costs
On average, standard anti snoring mouthpieces can range from $20 upwards. However, there are other anti-snoring mouthpieces that can go up to $400 but are worth every penny. It has long been said that you get what you pay for and this is generally the case with these type of mouthpieces and anti-snoring devices in general too. In order to find value you should compare the price tag along with the benefits offered or realized through using that particular product. The best device is not always one that is too cheap or expensive, basically, it is the device that will meet your needs and sells at a pocket-friendly price.
All in all, it is always advisable that you stick to your budget. Never stretch yourself too much as long as there are comfortable and quality products that still lie within your budget its best to stick with these options.
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Comfort
Some of the most comfortable mouthpieces to counter snoring are the Tongue Stabilizing Devices. This is because they mostly fit only around the patient’s tongue. In addition, the TSDs are made from the soft and smooth materials, for instance, they often use medically graded silicone.
Such materials are less likely to cause irritation in the mouth when wearing them especially in the sensitive areas of the mouth. Some of the sensitive areas of the mouth include the lips, tongue, palate and gums. Even the TRDs although they are very soft, are still prone to cause discomfort until the person gets used to them. There is a breaking in period with this type of device for certain people.
The suction used by the TSDs can also causes discomfort to users. This is because they try to pull the tongue forward in order to prevent it from falling back and closing the airways. At first, this may be uncomfortable but like any other muscles in the body, they will adjust in no time.
On the other hand, to get a good and comfortable fit of the MADs you will have to look for a device that fits in your mouth well. When choosing an anti-snoring device, you should never compromise your comfort for getting firm support from a device. This is because your overall comfortability will determine the effectiveness of the device so much and it is worth noting that comfort is important in the body’s ability to sleep well at night.
Some of the MADs in the market today can be boiled so that they can become soft. This will help you adjust the device to fit in your mouth perfectly. As we outlined earlier this process is commonly known as the boil and bite technology. The MADs are a better choice to the one size fits all approach, since they fit in one’s mouth more comfortably although with other devices you can still trim them down until the desired fit is achieved, however this can be awkward and tricky and you still might not get a good fit after trimming. Sharp edges could be left or more material trimmed away than is necessary. In our view you are better to select a good boil and bite device which will give you a great custom fit straight out of the box.
Not all the MADs will have the same fitting procedures. In that case, you should always look at the instructions offered by the manufactures. This will ensure that you don’t damage or even hurt yourself when fitting the device.
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Breathability
This is one of the most overlooked features by many when looking for suitable anti-snoring mouthpieces. Most of the people will forget to look to see if the device has the breather holes or not. Especially with people who may have trouble breathing through their nose while sleeping, the devices that will enhance proper breathing through the mouth are always a better choice in such situations.
Look out for a device that strikes the balance between the overall size of the device and the size of the breathing holes. An extremely big breathing hole may prop the mouth open to a point that it will be uncomfortable to breathe and cause jaw pain and discomfort. On the other hand, very tiny holes will restrict the amount of air entering the lungs, which again is not what is needed. It is also worth noting that some of the air holes of cheaper devices may cause a whistling sound which may be equally as bothersome as the snoring issue itself. This mainly occurs when the mouthpiece has a smaller breather hole and where less emphasis is put into materials, design as well as research and development.
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Durability
The durability of a certain device depends so much on the materials used to manufacture it, as well as how flexible it is. However, the major determiner to its durability is how a person uses their mouthpiece. Most of the devices in the market are generally designed to last up to one year although with care this period can be expected to be longer.
By checking the warranty, you will be able to get a rough estimate of the durability of the product and the company’s faith in their product. Most of the mouthpiece manufacturers will offer a guarantee of about one or two years. This proves that the product is made to last for a longer period of time.
All in all, some of the models are heat-sensitive and that may offer a great fit. Most of them, however, may begin to lose the general flexibility in less than a year. Also, we recommend that you should choose an anti-snoring mouthpiece from a trusted source and brand.
There are also other factors that should be considered when buying the anti-snoring mouthpiece. Some of them include;
- It should be FDA approved or made using FDA Approved Facilities/Materials
- It should be made from the toxin-free and BPA free materials. This applies because the device will be in contact with your mouth for an average of about 8 hours each night.
Which is the better choice?
If you already know that you snoring issues are nasal passages related the TSDs or MADs will help you solve your problem. The MAD is even better if you experience issues with breathing through the nose at night.
The air holes fitted in the Mandibular Adjustment Devices allow the patients to breathe freely using their mouths. This helps people with a deviated septum or nasal congestion. However, the MADs and TSDs are both effective aids to help with the snoring issues hence helping you to achieve better night sleep.
All in all, the choice of the device to use depends so much on what your budget is, what type of device you would like to use, physical characteristics i.e. dentures or teeth count, medical and health conditions etc.
Either way a MAD or TAD type device are a good option and are suitable and effective for many people. We recommend the Airsnore Anti Snore Device as the best all round anti snoring device for the vast majority of people. You can read more about its benefits and features by clicking the link.
You can also consider consulting with your doctor in order to get his advice on the best device for your particular situation if you feel you are outside the average bracket because of an underlying condition or physical attribute. Certain doctors may be able to share information as per the feedback collected from other patients who have tried out certain anti-snoring mouthpieces.
Final Verdict
The Good News is that Snoring is a fixable health concern which can be rectified using a few behavioural therapies like the introduction of using an anti-snore device at night. Whether the issue affects you or your bed partner, it is always important to look at some of the reasons that lead to snoring including medical conditions, allergies, alcohol consumption, age and many more. Either way one thing is certain if action to address the snoring issue isn’t taken the result will always be the same Disruptive Snoring on a regular basis!
You should never assume snoring to be something to be ignored as much as it seems like a petty but annoying issue. Snoring can lead to other health problems later in life. The above steps will be helpful when choosing the right devices to you or someone you know with related snoring issues. The main aim is to stop snoring as well as improve your overall health both in the short and long term. It is worth remembering that Stress causes disease and there is no need to wilfully accept a stressful life full irritability caused by the side effects of snoring.
All in All whether you choose a MAD or TAD type device hopefully you are better informed as to what to look for. If your short on time to do your own extensive research we recommend having a look at the Airsnore Mouthpiece as a great all round device for its comfort, value, ease of use and efiicience. However there are other great alternatives as you will discover on other pages.
We hope this has helped you to understand what to look out for when looking for an Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece especially if you are at the start of your journey. We recommend having a look around the site further in order to see what option might be a best fit for you or someone you know.
Feel free to share and comment and ask any questions you may have if you are unsure of anything. Bookmark the site if you are busy and browse at your leisure. Remember we endeavour to bring you the best advice so as to help you to make a more informed decision but at the end of the day it’s your choice as to whether you use this information to solve whatever snoring problem exists once and for all.
People shouldn’t have to be inconvenienced by snoring any longer. Legitimate solutions now exist many of which are backed up by user testimonials and reviews. Our hope is that the knowledge and understanding about snoring is increased and the ability to eradicate it using useful cost effective products is given to more people. We would love to hear your recommendations, product feedback or opinions in regard to snoring or even the issue of sleep in general. This will hopefully help others along the way to establishing their snore free life and empower them to regain control over their health and wellbeing.
Check out our other Snoring guides in our Stop Snoring Guides Section or visit our Snorefocus Blog for more useful information.
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