Teeth Shifting?

Hi all!
I am using the PHILIPS COMFORT GEL nasal mask and have been doing so for about 5 or 6 years. I was wondering if it's continued use would cause spacing or alignment problems in my teeth. In particular the front teeth especially since it does apply pressure to the upper lip. I am presently using a new Philips Respironics System One Pro with heated tube. My old unit was a Fisher Paykel 604 machine.

It's not unheard of; which is why I trade off between my 3 or 4 favorites.
Gotta cover my little green . . .

I was using a nasal mask for a while & noticed my top teeth in the front seemed to be slightly loose & shifting. I mentioned it to my dentist and he is recommending a permanent retainer to stabilize them.

My teeth have definitely shifted and I have only used nasal pillows. I don't think it was the mask that caused the problem but where I rest my tongue while trying to keep my mouth closed. I have a small jaw so when my mouth is closed, there is not quite enough room for my tongue. As a result, I rest my tongue on my back of my top front teeth with some force.

I remember starting a thread regarding this issue years ago but I didn't get many responses.

When I asked my sleep doc about it he said he had never seen it before but he believed it was possible. In my case, my under bite has worsened. I tried wearing a retainer but it was just too much equipment in and around my face. I actually felt more air hungry and somewhat claustrophobic when using it.

I work in pediatrics and we see significant facial remodeling in infants/children that wear CPAP/BiPAP. My adult children are still required to wear their retainers, after their childhood orthodontia so I know adult teeth do move. I guess it takes less pressure than we might think.

Yes, some of the older posts (prior to C-Flex) said that patient's tongues were forced out towards the teeth which may have caused misalignment over time.

I have a Remstar Auto M-Series with A-Flex. It is soon to be 5 years old and is my original machine.

chunkyfrog wrote:It's not unheard of; which is why I trade off between my 3 or 4 favorites.
Gotta cover my little green . . .

You're worried about your teeth shifting?

cam1 wrote:Hi all!
I am using the PHILIPS COMFORT GEL nasal mask and have been doing so for about 5 or 6 years. I was wondering if it's continued use would cause spacing or alignment problems in my teeth. In particular the front teeth especially since it does apply pressure to the upper lip. I am presently using a new Philips Respironics System One Pro with heated tube. My old unit was a Fisher Paykel 604 machine.

I got luckey and my old Comfort Gel mask broke leaving me with only nose pillows to use. The teeth are safe (constant pressure - they will move eventually) but now I think my nose is getting bigger.

Pekoepup wrote:My teeth have definitely shifted and I have only used nasal pillows. I don't think it was the mask that caused the problem but where I rest my tongue while trying to keep my mouth closed. I have a small jaw so when my mouth is closed, there is not quite enough room for my tongue. As a result, I rest my tongue on my back of my top front teeth with some force.

I remember starting a thread regarding this issue years ago but I didn't get many responses.

When I asked my sleep doc about it he said he had never seen it before but he believed it was possible. In my case, my under bite has worsened. I tried wearing a retainer but it was just too much equipment in and around my face. I actually felt more air hungry and somewhat claustrophobic when using it.

I work in pediatrics and we see significant facial remodeling in infants/children that wear CPAP/BiPAP. My adult children are still required to wear their retainers, after their childhood orthodontia so I know adult teeth do move. I guess it takes less pressure than we might think.

My night guard functions like a Invisalign mandibular brace, very minimal in my mouth. Also,my hygienist thinks my tongue is too large for my mouth, contributing to OSA. I'd suggest you look into a different retainer. Any shifting of the teeth will cause so much more dental havoc than a smaller stabilizer appliance. If you can see a dentist familiar with OSA and bring your mask in with the appointment. Not sure if the pillows or mask is what is causing the shifting or if we just have a large tongue and small jaw.

cam1 wrote:Hi all!
I am using the PHILIPS COMFORT GEL nasal mask and have been doing so for about 5 or 6 years. I was wondering if it's continued use would cause spacing or alignment problems in my teeth. In particular the front teeth especially since it does apply pressure to the upper lip. I am presently using a new Philips Respironics System One Pro with heated tube. My old unit was a Fisher Paykel 604 machine.

You need to address this with your dentist right away. I've been on CPAP 13 yrs & am in the process of getting braces (yes I'm 53 yrs old & getting braces! - again). If I had known before the damage was done, I could have gotten a retainer & not had to go thru the hell of having my teeth moved back into place. The problem isn't the mask, but the CPAP process in general. The air causing us to put our tongue on the roof of our mouths causes pressure that moves the teeth - in some cases.

I'm shelling out $4,800, not to look good but to save my front teeth. I should have looked into this earlier, but I found this forum last Oct & asked a question about the teeth moving. Someone suggested a retainer, so I asked my dentist, who sent me to orthodontist ASAP. The result is $4,800 worth of moving teeth, gum grafting & general pain for the next 18-24 months. I would suggest seeing a dentist right away. It might save you some money, time & pain.

Jen