My teeth are movin', man!

[doorcountydi]

I'm a 57 year old woman with excellent teeth and gums, no problems at all for decades. I go to the dentist every 6 months.

I have a full face CPAP I've been using about a year now and have noticed that my lower teeth are starting to get crunched in front! One is turning sideways and another one is heading behind the two beside it.

I sleep on my stomach or side, so that the side of my head is on the pillow, and I can feel that the mask puts pressure on my lower face. I'm a mouth breather whose nose stuffs up at night, so I can't use the nasal pillows. I have arthritis in my back so it hurts to sleep on my back.

My dentist is also a CPAP user and I saw him last week and mentioned my problem--he just nodded in agreement that this happens. Ack! This is the only mask I've tried...wish I could remember the name of it, I think it's a Restonic. Is it perhaps too small for me? I"ve tried bigger ones but they get too close to my eyes. I've had leaks but have "fixed" them with "It Stays!" a great product that you roll onto the seal and it sticks to your face all night, washes off with water.

Is anyone else having this problem?

[totoro]

My nose also clogs up at night, but my nasal pillows actually alleviate that problem. Thanks to CPAP, my nose no longer clogs up at night. Have you tried nasal pillows and been unsuccessful?

[Guest]

OMG! I thought maybe I was the only one with this problem since I hadn't seen any other posts on it. I have one bottom tooth that is now turning also. Interesting! I wear a nasal mask by the way.
~Lori

[doorcountydi]

No, haven't tried the nasal pillow yet--was told that since I stop up at night, it'd be best for the full-face mask....but it's encouraging to know that your nose problem cleared up with the nasal pillow! Maybe that's the course I should take.

I'm pretty sure the only reason my teeth are scrunching is the pressure from the mask around my lower mouth, so maybe I could solve it this way!

Thanks, guys!

[Maskedmechanic]

The bottom of a full face mask cushion should be resting on the middle of the chin, never on the lip area covering the teeth. Considering the variety of full face masks we now have that are decent, it should be possible to find a mask just a bit longer than what you have.

The Fisher & Paykel HC431 comes to mind as the bottom of this product seals much lower on the face than the Resmed or Respironics full face masks. The small cushion version might be the way to go. There is a video of this mask at https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1410. Hope this helps.

[doorcountydi]

Thanks! I'm going to check into that....I think I open my mouth far enough that the bottom of the mask goes right under my lower lip, so I think that's the problem. It looks like this would make sure it stays put. Appreciate it!

[sgrol]

I also use nasal pillows and have tooth movement. Mine is from tongue thrust, i.e. tongue pushing against back side of teeth causing them to spread apart. SOunds like yours are doing just the opposite.

[Dan01]

I use a nasal mask and could swear that the mask pushes against my top teeth. They hurt sometimes.

I am afraid of laying on my back, fearful of swallowing my tongue. Is this possible, because if not I will start trying to sleep on my back and use the comfort curve.

[Paul]

I am a teeth clencher in my sleep - and since CPAP I clench even more to make sure my mouth stays closed against the pressure.

I got my dentist to make a night guard for me - not the hard plastic type which I couldn't stand. It is a softer one like a sports mouth guard.

Maybe that would help to alleviate the pressure against your teeth? Talk to your dentist.

Good luck. Paul

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[brettoni]

I have the pillows and mouthguard. My bottom front teeth have moved out. All of my teeth have been moving. My molers have been bothering me for some time now feeling like they're loose. It's painful to chew and now Im getting sensitive to cold water. My bite has changed as well. I have no dental problems and go to the dentist twice a year. Mouthguard doesn't work because its for the top and not the bottom.

[Bons]

The Hans Rudolf 7600 fits under the chin like the F & P 431. Legend Medical also makes one that fits under the chin. The HR has the best leak rate for me.

[brentm77]

I would see an orthodontist. I think you need a hard plastic retainer. It will keep your teeth straight and are fairly comfortable (compared to when I was kid). They are more like a mouth guard a football player would ware than those pink things with a wire. Should only cost you about $200 and will keep your teeth from moving further.

[PST]

I don't mean to make fun of this problem in any way. It's serious. But the only thing I could think of when I saw the subject line was, "It's just the acid, man. You'll be cool in a few hours." I'm showing my age, I'm afraid.

[dkeat]

My nose also tends to close up at night. What you need to keep in mind is that there are different nasal interfaces offered by the various mask providers. The one that I cannot use is the "simple" interface of the mask going over the nose because the pressure caused by the air and the mask close the nostrils even more. But there are pillows in various shapes and forms. I use the Comfort Lite 2 from Respironics with the Direct Interface. I use one small enough that the end just lodges inside the nare. The air blowing out keeps the pressure on the INSIDE of the nostril greater than the outside and so the nostril remains open. I suggest to the original poster she give it a try. The Comfort Lite 2 sells all three interfaces with or without the mask and it gives the user a chance to give them all a try.

[Cinderella2003]

Hello,
I'm sorry to tell you this, however, my case may be different from others. 1st someone mentioned age, I'm 70 years old, and have always looked MUCH younger than my actual age, my doctor told me, "its nice too look younger than you are, but there are some disadavntages too looking younger" when I complained too her that I was being ignored, as a patient in a stroke rehab center, living there for 3 months after having my first stroke in 1998, it was devasting, however, I got out of the wheelchair & was almost totally recovered, except for neuropathy, left arm, leg, and worse in left hand & fingers, I still have that.
Having more strokes, I learned of my sleep aphena, but didn't start using c-pap until almost a year ago, when I stroked from a sleep aphena episode, & nearly died. I was OK or I don't remember having all these teeth problems, until I had been on c-pap for a few months, the first dentist said my teeth were only shells, all rotted out from the inside, I've always had TMJ, and had blocks and many fixtures & woke up with them somewhere in the bed, not in my mouth, however they were all chewed up, nothing worked, the c-pap caused horrendus problems, my face has a permanent pattern across my nose that is sunk in, I look so old, the c-pap has caused my face to be miss-shapened, there is nothing I can do about this problem. Worst,, the c-pap caused all of my teeth too rot, too the gumline, which now is blackened, and most of my teeth has broken off at the gum. I have a glass full of broken teeth on my dresser, including a tooth that broke off from a root canal, it looks perfect, I hope it can be put back. That dentist is afraid too work on me without a letter from my pulmonogist and cardiologist, I asked and neither one would give permission, said to ask my primary physician, who don't really know that it would be dangerous, because, I have peripheal pulmonary hypertenson, or PPH.
And, now no dentist, or orthodonist, will do anything for me. My teeth have mostly broken off at the gumline, I had one root pulled and it was a total nightmare, that dr. won't do anything else for me, but after he pulled the roots out, the tooth next to it dropped down, and, too the inside of my lower teeth, and stayed there but it is very loose. They seem to stay infected, I've seen two more dentists, most recently, was told, he won't do any work on me, but would refer me too a group in Charleston, WV., our capital city. He explained that I needed to the put too sleep too have all of my teeth removed and implant a device in my gums, if they are fit enough too withstand it & get false teeth. Sadly I don't have the money for this procedure. I have an appointment next week with a very well-known doctor of medical denistry, for a last chance hope to get my problem solved. I've always been a mouth breather, my mouth stays very dry, all the time. I take a narkotic pain med. for the neuropathy which helps the tooth pain. I need something done about my teeth and so far no one will help me, I have a fever most of the time and have been prescribed antibotics almost all the time. Now all I can think off is to get a loan on my house too get my teeth fixed, if the doctor that I'm going to see next week will help me. He told me he could fix it for about three thousand dollars. My only advice is too do anything you can too keep your teeth, as soon as you start having problems, get it taken care of. ASAP. I'm looking for a support group for c-pap users. God Bless and take care of you.