Jaw dropping

Is there a mask that adresses the problem of jaw dropping and consequently leaking out of the bottom of my mask.
I use the resmed ultra mirage its been great for me but my last 3 masks leak like crazy. Im not doing anything different. Just wondered if maybe not made as well as used to be. The cushion seems much more flimsy even on a brand new mask

Sclark08 wrote:Is there a mask that adresses the problem of jaw dropping and consequently leaking out of the bottom of my mask.
I use the resmed ultra mirage its been great for me but my last 3 masks leak like crazy. Im not doing anything different. Just wondered if maybe not made as well as used to be. The cushion seems much more flimsy even on a brand new mask

You might want to look into one of the Fisher and Paykel full face masks.

Another option is try a neck collar to prevent jaw dropping as many people have found it solves this problem. Personally, I hated wearing one but I am hypersensitive to wearing stuff so don't go by my experience.

49er

Thanks 49er!

I totally sympathize with your situation. I used the F&P Simplus mask and the mask ended up in my mouth due to jaw drop. A larger size leaked. With a chinstrap the mask ended up riding my lower lip. But some people have a lot of success with chin straps; it's a question of finding the one that works for you. I know that it's frustrating but it's a matter of plugging away and investing the time and sometimes money to find what works for you. Trial and error. What works for one person may not work for another. Some people like this and one fellow on the board made one from a bicycle strap:

http://www.ripvw.com/

Are you able to breathe through your nose? If so you could try a nasal mask or nasal pillows. Then you deal with jaw drop either by using a chin strap or mouth taping or both.

Good luck and let us know what works for you!

I solved my jaw drop problem by using a soft cervical collar.
Since using one over a year ago, my leak rate is nearly zero.
Chin straps for FFMs or Oral masks are problematical as they move the jaw slightly backwards and increase the likelihood of additional obstructive events during periods when you actually breathe through your mouth.

Fisher-Paykel expressly recommends against chin straps for their Oracle 452 mask which I use.

For my FFM (full face mask) use I found it started working a whole lot better when I started using the "partial tape solution." For me, the tape solves most of the issues with "mouth breathing" and "draw drop," which interrrupts the seal of a FFM (full face mask) because my face changes shape when that occurs and the seal is broken. It also helps prevent "dry mouth." It's not for everyone, but here's what I'd suggest:

Some people end up using chin straps with FFM's. I tried and disliked chin straps. I have now been using surgical tape for about a year now, and it has worked wonders and works very well for me. I use silk surgical type tape you can get off of Amazon, 2" wide. There's also a 1" wide version. If you gently pull it off in the morning, there's usually no problem. Just type something like "3M-Durapore-Silk-Tape 2 inches x 10 yards - box of 6" or the like on the Amazon site. For me, it works very well with a full face mask (FFM) -- the FFM helps prevent pressure problems if my jaw does open slightly, and the tape substantially prevents my jaw from dropping and also thereby keeps my face largely in the same "position" as I fall asleep (thereby avoiding the inevitable leaks that can occur when your facial shape changes from the point of initial placement/tightening of the mask). .

I was actually worried about not being able to breath with the tape if there was a shut-down. I've found that this set-up, however, offers very few worries:

For the silk tape, apply a 2inch wide strip vertically from a spot just above your upper lip (the indentation just below your nose) down to just under your chin (with your lips closed and your jaw in a comfortable place). As you bring the tape and press it underneath your chin, "fold" the edge back on itself (maybe a 1/2 inch or so) so that the edge hangs a bit from your chin -- makes for easier removal in case of emergency. Because it's only 2 inches wide and vertically placed, your entire mouth is actually not taped -- you can, in a pinch, breath around the edges -- and the silk tape itself I've found by accident (in opening my mouth with it being placed) will also let a little air in if you open your mouth forcefully. In short, it doesn't take too much force to maneuver or breath around the silk tape, but at the same time the tape seems to mostly keep my jaw from dropping when I relax and fall asleep, which is the whole point. [The setup also seems to work best when combined with the technique, described elsewhere on this site, of learning to relax with the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth as your mouth is closed, which "seals" the mouth from the nasal passage and helps prevent dry mouth]. (In placing the tape, I've also found it helpful to focus on firming the contact with the skin at the point below the nose and under the chin more than the lips, which seems to leave a little area of the lip region feeling less taped, if that makes sense). [To remove with less "tear", try pulling up vertically from underneath the chin till you reach your lip, then pull across "horizontally" for the remainder.]

The usual caveats about making up your own mind about this, considering safety issues, etc. apply, of course. But frankly, I'm surprised more people don't do this.