Hi Everyone!
Recently diagnosed with OSA, and failed with the mouth guard (it was giving me horrible jaw pain). So my doctor sent me for an overnight sleep titration study to determine CPAP settings. I slept well during the first half of the study (the non-CPAP portion) because the sleep lab was VERY comfy. I did not expect to sleep well during the CPAP part of the study, but the sleep tech gave me a Dreamwear nasal cushion mask, and I barely noticed it after the first 15 minutes. I slept like a baby, and dreamt a lot more than usual (which I suspect is a sign of better sleep- more/longer REM cycles). The only reason I was tired the next day was that they woke me up too early! I can't wait to get my machine and feel human again.
Thanks for your reply! After a few of days, the appliance is a lot easier to remove in the morning, and I am no longer worried about the crown. Unfortunately, I have a new problem. The first couple of days were fine in the morning, with no soreness after the first 10 minutes or so of jaw stiffness. However, on day 4 I noticed the left side of my jaw had some minor persistent soreness, and yesterday I felt actual pain when I tried to close my mouth, but only in the left mandibular joint. The right side was completely normal after about 10 minutes or so. Last night I skipped wearing the appliance because I am concerned that 1. Pain that wasn't there at first is now present, 2. It's only on one side, and 3. It appears that the pain is a bit worse each morning. This morning, the left side is still a bit sore but slightly better.
I would really hate to give up using the device because it really seems to be giving me much better sleep than I have without it, but I am concerned that something is wrong. My oral surgeon says this is normal, but I expected the trajectory to go the other direction- pain at first, slowly improving. I should also point out that this is the "getting used to the appliance" phase, so no actual adjustments have been made to it.
Hey, I think you meant to "reply" to Dr. Tony, but you replied to my post instead. You will probably have a better chance of getting an answer if you delete and re-post in reply to Dr. Tony's first post.
Good Luck.
Hi,
I have been recently diagnosed with moderate to severe OSA, and just received my MAD (Moses). Last night was my first experience with it, and I have noticed an improvement in my energy level (and this is before any adjustments have been made). My husband has mentioned that my snoring is greatly reduced, and barely audible now, and I am no longer gasping for air. The device is not terribly uncomfortable once it is in place, and my morning jaw soreness this morning was minimal. I think I am on my way to a successful treatment! However, I have a couple of concerns.
First, I find the device extremely difficult to remove. It snaps very tightly onto my lower jaw, and I have to wrestle with it to get it off. Is there some small amount of "give" that develops in the plastic material over time, or is my morning routine destined to be a daily battle with my oral device? Second, and somewhat related, I have a crown on one of my lower molars. I am terrified that it is going to pop loose during one of my attempts to extricate myself from my appliance. It hasn't happened yet, but, as the placement of the crown was not a particularly pleasant experience the first time (local anesthesia didn't work on my raw tooth nerve), I would like to avoid this scenario.
Finally, what is the long-term success/complication rate for these appliances? My goal in using this is to avoid a tonsillectomy/hyoid bone surgery, as the recovery from a tonsillectomy is not something I care to endure in my 40s.
Thanks.
