question about chinstrap and teeth grinding

[Dreamingofsleep]

Hi all,
Well I am so grateful for all your great input. I am soldering on...wearing the chin strap now..but realize I need to have it quite tight so the my teeth/jaw is clenched shut. Before cpap I wore a night guard, which dentist told me I must every night. i did this for years, but not doing it right now...figure get used to cpap stuff first before I try to wear it. Also, I don't even know if i can because it forces my mouth to be open..that's the whole point so I don't grind teeth. Anyway, what have you all found with using chinstrap and teeth grinding???

Thanks again,
Dreaming

[slepybear]

Hi Dreaming,
I`m three months down the CPAP road. Had to go to the dentist about four weeks back. Work had to be done so my night-guard had to be remade. Sleep without it was unstable at the best. Got it back about a week ago. Suddenly sleep returned. I do not use a chinstrap, but a FF mask that extend below my chin to keep my mouth shut. The combination mask - night-gard is a winner for me.
Hang in there. It will fall into place with time.

[CavemanSean]

I just did the "cheap" way and used a hockey mouth guard + my fitlife mask make for a great sleep and an awesome morning!!

(granted it took about 2 months, but at least its getting better!!)

[Sir NoddinOff]

My teeth grinding came from my long history of apnea events and quickly faded away after my CPAP therapy got correctly dialed in. It might be the same for you if you can get yourself into a sound state of sleep. Suggestion: You might be a candidate for mouth taping WITHOUT a mouth guard or chinstrap. You could give it a try. Search this site for the tons of 'mouth taping' threads, fasten your seat belt and be prepare for some good ol' back and forth. EDIT: Thinking back, I may have given you this advice in an older thread. Hmmmm, memory fading. EDIT EDIT: Yeah I found it... you said you didn't feel comfortable taping Nevermind my suggestion.

[Kitatonic]

Dreamingofsleep, do you wear lower or a top fitting night guard? I have a lower fitting night guard and it has never interfered with CPAP, taping or a chinstrap. The apnea will increase the bruxism, but I would not rely on treatment to completely resolve this without using your guard. As someone who has had multiple chipped teeth and crowns knocked off (over 8k), this became under control with the guard. So I would advise you to get your dentist opinion before you discontinue the guard, the alternative can be costly. Has anyone been told by their dentist that they can stop the night guard, now that they are on CPAP?

[Sir NoddinOff]

Dreamingofsleep, do you wear lower or a top fitting night guard? I have a lower fitting night guard and it has never interfered with CPAP, taping or a chinstrap. The apnea will increase the bruxism, but I would not rely on treatment to completely resolve this without using your guard. As someone who has had multiple chipped teeth and crowns knocked off (over 8k), this became under control with the guard. So I would advise you to get your dentist opinion before you discontinue the guard, the alternative can be costly. Has anyone been told by their dentist that they can stop the night guard, now that they are on CPAP?

Yup... me I ground my teeth for thirty years and never damaged them other than having some of the chewing surfaces reduced (maybe I wasn't that bad a grinder?) Anyway, I suggested a test to dreamingofsleep, to see if the teeth grinding stops by taping one's mouth, or at least if one's jaw stops aching in the morning, one of the major symptoms. But it can do no harm to clear my suggested test with your sleep doc or dentist if it will ease your mind. Tho the dentist may miss making those expensive mouth guards for you