Stop Snoring Aids and Devices Review - Snore Guard

Snore guards, or mandibular advancement devices, are removable stop snoring aid devices, worn inside the mouth while sleeping. They are made of plastic and help to prevent obstruction of the trachea, by bringing your lower jaw and tongue forward. The patient is required to have healthy upper and lower teeth for the appliance to connect to. If this is not possible, dental implants may be used.

Snore guards are made by taking an impression of your mouth from which a mold is made. The mold is then made into an exact replica of your mouth for a custom fit appliance. The appliance is then worn during sleep to help prevent snoring.
The devices are also used by persons who suffer from mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

Fixed-jaw-relation snore guard:

Three Styles:

• Prefabricated - Least expensive appliance for treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This device works reasonably well, however, is not durable and can be uncomfortable to wear.


• The Elastomeric - Durable and permanent appliances are custom made in a dental laboratory. It is made of silicone rubber, quite comfortable to the wearer, and virtually indestructable.


• The NAPA - It is made out of hard acrylic using eight clasps which attach to the teeth. It has a front extension that serves as a breathing tube. It is the oldest snore appliance in use.

Semi Adjustable Snore guards:

Composed of top and bottom trays, attached together by plastic hinges that protrude the lower jaw, at the same time allowing the user to open and close the mouth.

The fully adjustable snore guards:

Jaw protrusion is progressed incrementally over several weeks, giving more jaw protrusion and greater reduction of snoring problems and OSA.

Proprietary forms of the semi adjustable snore guards include:

• The Klearway ® - Has a jack screw, which makes the appliance adjustable.


• The Herbst ® appliance - Consists of upper and lower trays connected by two bars, used for snoring and OSA.


• The Snore-Aid ® - Used mainly for those who wear a full upper denture, but have their own lower teeth to retain a plastic tray for lower jaw protrusion.


• The TAP® appliance - Is available by prescription and can be made by your dentist, but limits ability to open and close the mouth.

It is not recommended to purchase these devices over the internet, as a diagnosis by a health care professional is required. Snore guards are not currently covered by insurance. However, some policies may cover them if there is a prescription for them.

A complication of these devices is that due to the constant pull of the lower jaw muscles, there may be some tooth movement, changing the user's natural "bite" configuration.

by Barb Hicks, RN