Best anti-snoring mouthpieces: a dentist's guide to the options

Who this is for, and who it isn’t

This guide is for adults whose snoring keeps someone awake, and who have already tried the free fixes. Those include sleeping on your side Some, less alcohol near bedtime Some and, if it applies, losing weight Strong.

A jaw-advancing mouthpiece Strong is the device with the strongest evidence for snoring. The AASM and AADSM guideline recommends oral appliances over no treatment for adults with snoring but no sleep apnea. It rated the evidence high quality.

That rating is for oral appliances as a group, not store-bought ones in particular. The AASM favors custom ones fitted by a dentist and doesn’t recommend over-the-counter devices.

Every mouthpiece here is FDA-cleared only to reduce snoring. None is cleared to treat sleep apnea. Skip all of them, and talk to a physician, if any of these apply:

• You’re under 18.
• You have, or might have, sleep apnea. That includes central sleep apnea, which the FDA lists as a reason not to use these devices.
• You have loose teeth or gum disease.
• You wear dentures or braces (the tongue-holding device below is the exception for dentures).
• You have jaw joint pain, clicking or locking.
• You’ve had implants placed or major dental work done recently.

Not sure which camp you’re in? The who shouldn’t use a snoring mouthpiece page goes through each one.

How we’re testing

Testing is under way, and there are no results yet. Until then, this page draws only on what each maker states, what its FDA file says, and what a dentist would check.

For each mouthpiece we’ll record:

1. Fitting time, from opening the box to a finished fit.
2. How far it moves the lower jaw forward, measured in millimeters with calipers.
3. Comfort over 7 nights of wear.
4. Morning notes on jaw soreness and on how the bite feels.

The full method is on how we test.

The options

SnoreRx Plus: adjustable in small steps

SnoreRx has separate upper and lower trays that you mold to your teeth with the boil-and-bite method. The maker says it adjusts in 1 mm steps, and its FDA file describes advancement of up to 6 mm. It’s FDA-cleared (K170825) as an aid in reducing snoring in adults 18 and older.

• Suits: people who want to start with a small jaw shift and move forward only as needed.
• Skip it if: you have any item on the list above.

VitalSleep: another adjustable choice

VitalSleep is also boil-and-bite. The maker says it adjusts up to 8 mm in 1 mm steps and comes in a standard and a smaller size. It’s FDA-cleared (K201719) as an aid in reducing snoring in adults 18 and older.

• Suits: people who want an adjustable design, or a smaller size for a smaller mouth.
• Skip it if: you wear full dentures. The maker says it needs natural teeth to stay in place.

ZQuiet Advance: hinged, with preset steps

ZQuiet Advance is a boil-and-bite mouthpiece with upper and lower trays joined by hinged straps, so your mouth can open a little. You adjust it by swapping straps. The maker lists a starting strap, then steps of 2, 4 and 6 mm.

It’s FDA-cleared (K213088) as an aid in reducing snoring in adults 18 and older.

• Suits: people who want a hinged design and a few simple settings.
• Skip it if: you want fine control. It moves in 2 mm steps, not 1 mm.

The same maker also sells the original ZQuiet, a soft one-piece design cleared separately (K180124). This guide covers the Advance.

Good Morning Snore Solution: holds the tongue, not the jaw

The Good Morning Snore Solution is a tongue-retaining device Weak. It holds your tongue forward with gentle suction and doesn’t grip your teeth. It’s FDA-cleared (K193239) as an aid in reducing snoring in adults 18 and older.

• Suits: people with dentures, few teeth or jaw joint trouble who can breathe easily through the nose.
• Skip it if: your nose is often blocked or you breathe through your mouth at night.

The evidence is weaker here. The AASM and AADSM guideline found too little evidence to assess tongue-retaining devices for sleep apnea.

SnoreLessNow Anti-Snore Mouth Guard+

This mouthpiece is FDA-cleared (K231138) as an aid in reducing snoring in adults 18 and older, cleared in January 2024. Its FDA file describes a boil-and-bite design with swappable straps that move the jaw up to 6 mm.

Side effects and fit

The FDA’s guidance for these devices lists the side effects makers must warn about:

• Tooth movement or changes in how your teeth meet.
• Sore gums or teeth.
• Pain or soreness in the jaw joint.
• Blocked mouth breathing.
• Extra saliva.

The AASM and AADSM guideline notes that most side effects are dental. It lists sore teeth, sore jaw muscles, drooling, dry mouth, trouble chewing in the morning and bite changes. Bite changes are slower and can build up over years of nightly wear.

The side effects page covers what’s normal and when to stop.

Fit matters for comfort and for results. A mouthpiece that loosens overnight can’t hold your jaw forward. Stop wearing it and see a dentist if it hurts a tooth, feels loose, or leaves your bite feeling off.

How to choose

1. Rule yourself out first. Go through the list at the top. If sleep apnea is possible, get tested before you buy anything.
2. Healthy natural teeth and no jaw trouble: an adjustable mouthpiece such as SnoreRx or VitalSleep lets you start small and move forward slowly.
3. You want a hinged design with a few simple settings: ZQuiet Advance lets your mouth open a little, with less fine control over the jaw position.
4. Dentures, few teeth or jaw joint trouble, with a clear nose: a tongue-retaining device is the option, knowing the evidence is weaker.
5. Snoring keeps going, or you feel tired in the day: see a physician. A custom appliance from a dentist trained in dental sleep medicine, ordered by a physician, is a different treatment. See over-the-counter vs custom.

Still unsure which type fits your mouth? Try the mouthpiece matcher.