Anti-snoring mouthpieces for small mouths and mouth breathers

Who this is for, and who it isn’t

This page is for two kinds of snorer. One finds standard mouthpieces too bulky. The other sleeps with their mouth open.

Jaw-advancing mouthpieces Strong have strong evidence for snoring as a group, though the AASM favors custom devices over store-bought ones. Every device here is FDA-cleared only as an aid in reducing snoring in adults 18 and older. None is cleared for sleep apnea.

Skip all of them, and talk to a physician or dentist, if any of these apply:

• You’re under 18.
• You have, or might have, sleep apnea, including central sleep apnea.
• You have loose teeth or gum disease.
• You wear dentures or braces (the tongue 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.

The who shouldn’t use a snoring mouthpiece page explains each one.

Mouth breathers: check your nose first

The AASM notes snoring can come through the nose, the mouth, or both. If your nose is blocked, you’ll breathe through your mouth, and a mouthpiece won’t unblock your nose.

A mouthpiece can make it worse. FDA guidance lists blocked mouth breathing as a warning for these devices. A tongue-retaining device needs you to breathe through your nose all night.

Before you buy, try to clear your nose:

1. Treat allergies or congestion. See snoring with allergies.
2. Try a nasal strip or dilator Weak. The evidence is weak, but they may help when snoring starts in the nose. See nasal strips vs nasal dilators.
3. See a physician if your nose is blocked most nights. A nose that stays blocked needs a doctor’s look, not a device.

Mouth tape Weak + warning isn’t a fix here. It’s risky if your nose is blocked or you might have sleep apnea. See is mouth taping safe.

How we’re testing

Testing is under way, and there are no results yet. This page uses what each maker states and what each FDA file says. It also covers what a dentist would check.

For each device 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 how the bite feels.

The full method is on how we test.

The options

VitalSleep: a smaller size and an air gap

VitalSleep is a boil-and-bite mouthpiece. The maker sells it in a Regular and a Small size. It adjusts in 1 mm steps up to 8 mm, per the maker, using a small screw on each side.

Its FDA file (K201719) describes upper and lower trays joined by a flexible hinge. It says the design keeps the mouth slightly open during use and lists a 6 mm air gap. The file gives one set of dimensions, 63 mm wide, and describes 6 mm of forward adjustment.

• Suits: people with a smaller mouth and healthy natural teeth who want fine adjustment.
• Skip it if: your nose is blocked most nights, or anything on the list above applies.

Good Morning Snore Solution: small size, no jaw pull

The Good Morning Snore Solution is a tongue-retaining device Weak. It holds your tongue forward with gentle suction instead of moving your jaw. The maker sells it in Regular and Small, with no boiling or molding.

It’s FDA-cleared (K193239) as an aid in reducing snoring in adults 18 and older. Because it doesn’t grip the teeth, it can suit people with dentures or few teeth.

• Suits: people with a small mouth, dentures or jaw trouble who breathe easily through the nose.
• Skip it if: you breathe through your mouth at night. In a long-term study of tongue devices, a blocked nose predicted that people would stop using them.

ZQuiet Advance: room to open

ZQuiet Advance is a boil-and-bite mouthpiece with upper and lower trays joined by side straps. Its FDA file (K213088) says the design holds the jaw forward while allowing small forward-back and up-down movement. The maker says the hinged straps let the mouth open.

It’s FDA-cleared as an aid in reducing snoring in adults 18 and older. The maker lists a starting strap, then steps of +2, +4 and +6 mm. Neither its FDA file nor the maker details we hold list a smaller size.

• Suits: people who feel closed in by a mouthpiece that holds the mouth shut.
• Skip it if: you want a smaller size or fine control over the jaw position.

Side effects and fit

FDA guidance tells makers of these devices to 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.

A mouthpiece that’s too big for your mouth can press on your gums or cheeks. It can also sit off center and pull your jaw to one side. Signs of a good fit:

• It stays in when you open your mouth slightly, without biting to hold it.
• Your teeth sit fully in their marks, with no rocking.
• Nothing presses hard on one tooth or digs into your gums or cheeks.

If it still feels too bulky after fitting, don’t force it. The fitting guide covers refitting, and side effects covers what’s normal.

How to choose

1. Rule yourself out first. If sleep apnea is possible, get tested before you buy anything.
2. Blocked nose most nights: deal with that first, with a physician’s help if needed.
3. Small mouth, healthy natural teeth, clear nose: a jaw mouthpiece sold in a smaller size, such as VitalSleep Small.
4. You open your mouth at night but your nose is clear: a design that allows some opening, such as VitalSleep or ZQuiet Advance.
5. Small mouth with dentures, few teeth or jaw trouble, and a clear nose: a tongue-retaining device, knowing the evidence is weaker.

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