Comfortgel FFM and lower front tooth pain

[BusyLyn]

I'm currently using the Respironics ComfortGel full face mask, and I wake up many mornings with pain in my lower front teeth. The lower section of the mask rests below my mouth and above my chin. It doesn't happen every night, but it occurs about 50% of the time. While I was lucky enough to avoid orthodontia, the pain seems to me to be similar to what I would feel if I wore braces to realign my lower jaw backwards. The pain disappears in a short period of time, but I'm afraid of what might occur to the alignment of my jaw and teeth over time.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? What did you do to alleviate it? Or did you change masks? And to which mask? I'm still working on my nasal/sinus issues, so I need to stay with a FFM right now.

Thanks!

Lyn

[Kategreenredchristmas]

You have your mask on too tight! I have this same mask, and the lower part does go right below your lower lip. However, you should be able to create a seal without tightening it to the extent that it pulls your lower jaw backwards or presses on your teeth like your were wearing braces. I did wear braces and that would be very, very tight indeed. The mask really doesn't have to be that tight to create a seal, just positioned right on the face. It could be that the mask size or shape is not right for you. Maybe you need a different mask.

[BusyLyn]

Thanks, Kate. The mask wasn't adjusted so tight that I couldn't put a finger or 2 between the mask and the lower straps, nor did it feel like it was so tight that I was getting an adjustment before I went to sleep. However, I DID have the mask adjusted so that I didn't feel excessive leaks while I was upright and at full therapy pressure, which may have been too tight while I was laying down on my side. I've readjusted everything while laying down in bed, so we'll see how everything feels tonight and for the next few nights. I'll be especially interested to see what my average leak rate will be -- lower, or higher.

Lyn

[BusyLyn]

I had the mask positioned more loosely last night. The tooth pain was much less, but it was still there. I woke up a few more times than previously, all for mask leaks. My AHI number was down to 0.4, my average mask leakage was about the same, but my vibratory snore number was higher. How does snore relate to O2 desaturation?

I have an appointment with my sleep doctor next Tuesday, and one question I plan to ask him is about trying a different mask.

Lyn

[stevesgrl98]

I also am using that mask and when I first started using it, I experienced pain in my jaw too. It went away after about a week or so. I now have other problems with the mask. But that is another thread... =)

[BusyLyn]

Maybe what we should have is a discussion of this mask -- the good and the not so good.

As I've mentioned, I don't have the pain every day. Of course, each time that I think I've got it licked I wake up the next morning with problems. I always wake up in the morning with a leaky hiss of some sort. Some days I have tooth pain, some days I'm puffy in the eye area and my eyes can feel a little dry.

I don't know if it's just the nature of this particular mask and the headgear that came with it, but I wonder whether I need a different size headgear than what came with the mask. Does this make sense? Or is this a problem with masks in general?

[KimberlyM]

If you do try a different full-face mask, you might try out the Fisher Paykel ones. They go below the chin so they don't put pressure on the teeth. The models 431, 432 and Forma all are below the chin. Also, Hans Rudolph makes a below the chin mask. I have crowns on my lower teeth and have to be careful of the pressure put there too.

[BusyLyn]

Yes, the Fisher & Paykel masks look interesting. I'd like to try them on to see how they fit.

I never thought that I would have an issue with my teeth of all things and a mask, but it's probably due to my sleep position. I like to sleep on my side and push my face into my pillow. I've also found myself waking up on my back -- not something that I would do before cpap (and a whole other story that I think is related to the length of my hose). When I wake up on my back, the bottom of the mask is resting on my face at the level of my lower teeth and my mouth is open.

I'm just thankful that getting the cpap basics down went smoothly for me because it looks like the final tweaks are going to be a bit of a pain. Oh well, it keeps life interesting!