Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Dental Device for Sleep Apnea

Does anyone use one of these, or know someone who uses one?

How well do they work?

Thanks.

I don't know anyone

but I did look into them, and for some people it might do the trick. The prices vary and you can buy them online in a "universal fit" type. If its the approach I'm thinking about the device pushs your lower jaw out a bit and as a result opens up your airways.

I talked to my sleep apena doctor about it because I wanted something to travel with and she was against it. Basically she said it might break you from snoring but not the side effects of sleep apnea.

Now admittedly I don't know the difference and maybe she was just worried about losing that $400 a year I pay her in office visits, but I never pursued it after talking to her.

Good morning smokepole.

I know a few people who use or have used it. If you have a MILD obstructive sleep apnea, a trial of dental device would be worthwhile along with weight loss (if you are overweight) and sleep position change (sleeping on your side vs. on your back). Your sleep study report should say whether your sleep specialist recommends it vs. using CPAP/APAP/BiPAP, etc.

Regards,

My wife works in sleep medicine. I've heard her mention the dental appliances are expensive. Her company only works with certain dentists and they have to see a certified sleep MD. I believe there are in lab tests before and after also.

Yessir....I had one about 20 years ago. It worked very well but was a bit of a pain in the mouth to use. It controlled my apnea very well for about 7 years and then, for some reason, it didn't any more. The dental specialist who made it couldn't conclude why that happened, but I went to a CPAP and have used it with success every since.

not all sleep apnea is alike!

It always cracks me up when people say to change your sleep position - heck I'm asleep, I don't know what I'm doing!

Been through all that, no lab tests required, just a sleep study. And I've met my deductible this year so the out-of-pocket cost to me will be minimal.

I'm just wondering how well they work

My apnea is mild, and it's positional and only really happens when I'm on my back. One suggestion I've heard is a small fanny pack with a tennis ball in it, supposed to prevent you from sleeping on your back.

Lots of new information out on the restorative effects on the brain of a good night's sleep, and a connection between not enough of the right kind of sleep and dementia as people age. Not only that, but also things like weight gain.

Probably something more people should be paying attention to.

I prescribe and have them fabricated for my patients. I'm a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

For mild - moderate obstructive sleep apnea, they can be very effective. As you go from moderate to severe, they may not be effective enough.

My patients tolerate the appliance very well. Many of them get two, one for travel or one to have for a spare should they lose on OR the dog chews them up. (Yes, this really happens. Expensive chew toy)

They come in different styles, all work by opening the airway by positioning the mandible slightly open, and slightly forward. They look more intimidating than they are. Don't forget, if you you've put on some pounds over the years, lose some weight. Don't drink alcohol in the evening and do so very moderately if at all. Two important tips.

OSA can cause hypertension, increased red blood cell count/high democrat, cause fatigue and a generally crappy feeling.

PM me if you have any specific questions.

Jeff

Just get a CPAP. Got one 10 years ago and never looked back.

Thanks for the generous offer Jeff, I think I will take you up on that. Weight's not an issue but I may have to work on that "no alcohol in the evening" thing. I went to both a certified sleep MD and a sleep dentist. I believe it was the dentist who cited a "cutoff time," for alcohol of 2 1/2 hours before bed.

LOL, just saw the list of side effects, that "high democrat" is most definitely unacceptable......

Just got refered by my doc to the sleep clinic. Took an oximeter home and they said yeah you got some issues. Did not give the test result and the online records are not updated yet so I do not know the numbers. 2019 felt like I could do anything. 2020 worst feeling year of my life. Can't wait to sort this out. Have a few freinds with same issues. Some on cpap and some with device.

I use one of the really cheap ones because my wife complains if I snore. You get the thing and submerse it in hot water, then stick it in your mouth and shape it so the your mouth closes in an underbite fashion. I've been using them for years now and the ol lady I share the bed with doesn't often complain, and when she does it's almost always when I've gone to bed after indulging in good ol demon rum a bit more enthusiastically than I should. I think I got mine for under six bucks, but it's not the first one. Clean them after use and they'll last a long time.

When I first started using it I couldn't stand the thing being in my mouth because it stimulated excessive salivation, but after just a few nights it's not much bother. I think I actually rest much better when I use it.

My sleep Doc says he uses one. He recommended it to me as I have a very case of SA and I didnt take well to a machine. I have about 50 lbs more to lose so I am opting to do that first as well as keep riding my bike and walking to get in better shape and then decide if treatment is needed.

Pretty much my situation as well. I sleep On my side with a large firm pillow Jammed up against my back. That keeps me from rolling over on my back. I didnt think I would like sleeping woth anything strapped around me or in my mouth.

Maybe that was my problem: the home sleep study showed me to be WAY into the "severe" zone. No wonder the cheap $20 Amazon mouth device that I'd tried beforehand, didn't do [fecal material]. Even once I got the machine, they had to keep upping its effort to get it to work effectively.

Perhaps my roommates on the 24HCF hog hunts weren't exaggerating about my snoring, after all...

FC

One of my friends was the snore king, I'd set up my tent as far away from wherever he was going to fall down for the night and still have to use ear plugs. 25 years ago I told him he would stop breathing every few min. Spent a week with him and 2 other loonies in a WW2 POW hut at Camp Perry, I had to buy another bag of ear plugs about day 3.

Years later he and I both have cpap machines.

I wasn't...

My wife has sleep apnea (proven by sleep study) and tried the cpap. Didn't work for her so she tried this guy http://www.buteyko.com/method/index_method.html and has found it to work pretty well and now sleeps with piece of fabric medical tape over her mouth (I know, sounds kinky). It appears to work well and no droning Darth Vader machine in the bedroom. May not work for all but worth a try and not much upfront cost to start.

Wife has apnea, she has a mouth piece that our dentist custom made for her.
It work well, don't know the cost