mask leak

I have no teeth. I am a mouth breather. I started with a resmed air 10 cpap machine about 4 months ago. First a full face mask - would not seal where my cheeks sunk in. Then to nose pillows and chin strap - same problem cheeks sink in and air leaks. Any ideas????

Welcome to the site. You can sit with the person who fitted you at the med supply place and explain your situation to them. They should be able to fit your with a mask that works for you. Be persistent as you are paying for this. I also use the same machine but in BIPAP mode with VERY high pressure (machine's max) and had trouble with mask seal (my cheeks are definitely NOT sunk in; just the opposite) but learned how t adjust my full face mask (initially had it too tight) and use mask pads. I also breathed through my mouth but found that breathing through my nose was facilitated by the mask and now look forward to breathing through my nose all night; even with a stuffy nose to start with. I takes awhile. Wash your machine daily and wash your face prior to putting the mask on also helps but the mask pads were the answer for me.

Hello CalmJadeDove1716. I encourage you to talk to your sleep physician about this issue and consider potentially seeing a dentist who has experience treating patients with sleep apnea. I have encountered a couple of patients with experiences similar to yours, and their dentists have had them use things like soft mouth guards (similar to a sports guard) or other oral devices to help prevent the cheeks from sinking in while wearing CPAP. Each patient's needs will be specific to their own dental issues, so it is difficult to say what will work in your specific situation. Hope this helps, and please keep us posted!