Dental Night Guard and Sleep Apnea

[RER9372]

I accidentally threw out my dental mouth guard I use at night for teeth grinding. I also just happened to start CPAP treatment for severe OSA with a bit of CA. I was curious if dental night guards make Sleep Apnea better or worse? My hope is I won't need the night guard anymore if I'm sleeping better from CPAP.

[Gideon]

A bruxism guard, to my knowledge, does nothing for apnea. It protects your teeth from grinding on each other at night. That said I also understand that bruxism sometimes increases with sleep apnea so you might be able to get rid of the mouth guard but it does nothing for the apnea itself.

Now if the guard was a MAD that is a different story

[RainbowFish]

A bruxism guard will not affect apnea unless it shifts you bite in a way that acts as a mandibular advancement device (MAD). Because the jaw is not constrained by the guard or your nasal mask, the guard may actually help open the airway by keeping the jaw slightly open and letting the mandible drift forward.

I find that this is the case for me, but it is a subtle thing and only noticeable when I use a nasal mask. The pressure of a full face mask will overcome this passive jaw motion. So, when I use a nasal mask I use my night guard, and when I use a FFM (and mouth breathe) I do not. Either works for me.

I suspect that if your guard is really just for bruxism the change in position will not make a difference.

[TexasDon]

There is a theory that bruxism might be a method for your brain to awaken you to low oxygenation.  Respiratory arousal.  So ... it follows that good respiratory therapy may reduce your clenching and grinding.   I would emphasize may reduce.   And there are bite guards and then there are bite guards.   Good ones cost the big $$$ and help you maintain your hinge axis and resting bite.   All very good things.   A very good bite guard, paired with very good respiratory therapy, is a good strategy to have.