Having the right CPAP mask will make all the difference in comfortably using your machine, whether you are just starting out on CPAP therapy for sleep apnea or you have been on treatment for years. Full-face, nasal, and CPAP masks with nasal cushions are the three most common CPAP mask styles. All three of these designs contact your nose, across the bridge, or within your nostrils.
Using an Oral Mask to Get Relief
Many CPAP sufferers are unable to endure a mask that touches their noses. If you are one of these people, you may believe you have no other options. With an oral cpap mask, you may get consistent therapy with a mask that fits your needs and does not come into contact with your nose.
Oracle by Fisher & Paykel
The Fisher & Paykel Oracle is the market’s first oral CPAP mask, and it was meticulously created with comfort and function in mind. This mask is ideal for people with persistent nasal obstructions or breathing through their mouths. The oral mask’s unobstructed field of vision helps you easily integrate wearing your CPAP into your nighttime reading routine or watching television.
Easily adjustable headgear
The Easy Release Strap on the Oracle oral CPAP mask makes taking your mask on and off daily a snap. Instead of a tedious nightly fight to re-size your strap, you will discover that your headgear setting choices remain maintained and that fitting your mask is straightforward. With this, you can easily choose your most comfortable and effective mask fit.
With Flexitube Position Headgear and the Rotating Adjustment Dial, you can easily customize your most comfortable and effective mask fit for both your headgear and mouthpiece. The Fisher & Paykel Oracle oral mask provides effective and pleasant sleep apnea therapy.
What Are the Benefits of Other Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
There are several advantages to using oral appliances to treat sleep apnea. Among them are the following:
- Non-Claustrophobic A dental device is custom-fit to your mouth and jaw, similar to sleeping while wearing a sports mouthguard. People who experience claustrophobia when using a CPAP mask may prefer a dental device since it does not cover the nose or mouth and does not provide pressurised air. When you use the mouthpiece, your nose and mouth are free to breathe normally.
- Your sleep position does not affects your therapy. If you are a restless sleeper who often tosses and turns, the CPAP tubing may become tangled and pulled away from the machine or mask. Regardless of your chosen sleeping position, a mouthpiece remains in your mouth.
- Portability An oral appliance is a compact piece of equipment with its own carrying bag. It’s small enough to fit in your pocket or hold in your hand. It is great for travel due to its tiny size and ease of usage. You should also note that many travel CPAP machines on the market now are highly portable and lightweight and run on batteries or solar power, allowing you to travel light with your CPAP equipment.
- Convenience. A mouthpiece is very simple to maintain in the cleaning sector regularly. If your CPAP is out of filters, being fixed, or you’re moving to a new machine, having an oral appliance might be a useful option.
- Noise. Unlike a CPAP machine, which pumps air all night, an oral appliance for sleep apnea is quiet. This feature may appeal to both light sleepers and bed companions.
- Cost. CPAP machines are frequently more costly than oral appliances.
Other less-often mentioned reasons why some people with sleep apnea choose other oral appliances are:
- A small percentage of users report painful spots, ingrown beard or nose hairs, chafing, skin wrinkles, or acne breakouts as a result of repeated contact with their CPAP masks or forehead and chin straps. Some individuals choose to use an oral device because it does not come into contact with their head, hair, or skin as frequently.
- It does not irritate the skin or hair on the face.
- Aesthetics: Although more individuals are being diagnosed with sleep apnea, wearing a mask to bed still has a stigma for some people. Oral mouthpiece is less noticeable, and while CPAP machine designs have advanced significantly in terms of shape and size, some wearers prefer not to keep their machines on their bedside tables.
- Compliance. Whether or not your sleep apnea therapy provides any health benefits is dependent on how frequently you use it every night, all night. Your CPAP compliance also influences whether your insurance will continue to fund your sleep apnea therapy at the same level since a recent study found that up to 60% of CPAP users don’t use their devices as they ought to.
What are the disadvantages of using oral appliances to treat sleep apnea?
Although oral appliance treatment has many advantages, it is not for everyone. Because oral appliance therapy does not automatically log use data digitally as CPAP machines do, it is too simple for patients to take “breaks” from wearing their devices or be lazy with their therapy.
In a 2018 study that looked at long-term usage, just 32% of participants reported using their oral appliances regularly, and 55% reported discontinuing oral appliance therapy within the first year.
While some people with sleep apnea prefer an oral appliance at first, the numbers gradually decline. Some disadvantages of wearing an oral appliance include:
- Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Pain and Bite Changes. According to the same study, 38 percent of users who discontinued OAT did so due to TMJ discomfort. For certain individuals prone to TMJ disorders, how the splint advances the jaw might cause discomfort and headaches. Jaw movements can also cause alterations in their bite. In that research, 17% of participants reported having this problem. Permanent bite modifications can result in tooth wear, cavities, and other dental difficulties.
- Drooling and mouth dryness. Wearing the splint may promote mouth breathing, resulting in dry mouth, sore throat, and poor breath. As a result, the body may produce excessive saliva, resulting in drooling and cracked dry lips.
- Less effective in the treatment of severe OSA. Oral appliances are an option if you have severe sleep apnea and cannot tolerate CPAP therapy. However, CPAP therapy is less successful at keeping your airway open. Even if you use your oral appliance religiously, your symptoms will only improve, not disappear. You will still have occasional apnea and hypopnea episodes, putting you at risk for hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental problems.
Before Purchasing a CPAP Mask, Consider Your Options
Finding the perfect mask is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour. What works for your neighbour or acquaintance may not work for you. If you have a nasal blockage, consider the oral CPAP mask while considering your options. All orders at store.airliquidehealthcare.com.au include CPAP masks that come with a guarantee. Finding the appropriate mask might be tough initially, but the Mask Guarantee enables you to return and exchange a mask if not fit, which guarantee an excellent fit and the greatest benefit from your sleep apnea therapy.
Get your new Oral CPAP mask, CPAP machine, and other CPAP supplies at store.airliquidehealthcare.com.au now!
Other resources:
An expert’s view on sleep apnea
Do you with your CPAP machine on?
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