SnoreBuds and mouthguards are different kinds of devices used to stop snoring.

SnoreBuds uses nasal EPAP to stop snoring while most mouthguards use mandibular advancement.

Here we’ll compare these two methods of stopping snoring, so you can choose which is right for you.

SnoreBuds vs Mouthguards: How they Work

SnoreBuds: How does nasal EPAP work?

EPAP stands for Expiratory Positive Air Pressure and is clinically proven to treat obstructive sleep apnea and snoring.

EPAP works by providing positive pressure during exhalation. When you breathe out your nose, you’ll feel a slight back pressure which creates a longer, slower exhale. This helps keep the airway open and stops tissue vibrations that cause snoring.

Nasal EPAP devices have a small valve that opens when you breathe in and partially closes when you breathe out. Your exhaled air will go through small vents. This is what creates the positive pressure and the slower exhalation that stops snoring.

Mouthguards: How does mandibular advancement work?

Mouthguards (over the counter – such as SnoreRx, VitalSleep, and ZQuiet) and oral devices (provided by dentists) are popular anti-snore options.

These devices move the jaw to a forward position, which is where they get the name “mandibular advancement devices” from. Moving the jaw forward helps open the airway and reduce snoring. Most are adjustable, which means you can “titrate” it to your needs.

SnoreBuds vs Mouthguards: Dr. Kevin Stock’s Clinical Experience

Dr. Kevin Stock and Oral Devices

After I graduated dental school, I opened a private practice exclusively dedicated to “Dental Sleep Medicine.” This is a niche area of dentistry dedicated to treating sleep disordered breathing, which ranges from snoring to severe obstructive sleep apnea, with oral devices.

The reason I took such an unconventional route was because I learned how many people have poor sleep, how bad it is for health, and how few good options people had.

I felt there was nothing more important I could do than try and help people sleep better.

In my practice I used many kinds of oral devices to treat snoring and sleep apnea.

While I had many successes, I continued to run into problems.

The Problems with Anti-Snore Mouthguards and Oral Devices

1.      Tooth Movement

The first issue with anti-snore mouthguards and oral devices is that they can move your teeth.

As teeth move it changes the way the teeth fit together. This malocclusion can lead to a host of problems like poor chewing ability, gum recession, and aesthetic concerns.

Further, because these devices can move teeth, they are high risk for people with periodontal disease, which is half of the adult population. So right out of the gate, these are less than ideal for half the people that came into the office.

2.      Jaw pain

Because the devices hold the jaw in an unnatural position throughout the night, people often experience TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain which can progress to TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction).

3.      Re-makes

Anti-snore oral devices need to be custom fit to your teeth.

This often means that if you need dental work in the future, like a new crown or a dental implant, the device needs to be re-made or re-fit, adding expense to an already expensive option.

4.      Breathing Problems (Bulky / Comfort)

Many of my patients complained the devices were bulky and not the most comfortable to wear.

A big plastic device forces your mouth to be unnaturally open, which can then ruin proper oral posture. At rest, your mouth should be closed, lips sealed, and tongue resting on the palate. This allows you to breathe properly.

Many of my patients had a hard time using proper oral posture with their oral devices and so they had a hard time breathing properly with these devices.

5.      Costs

While over-the-counter anti-snore mouthguards can be cost-effective, I generally don’t recommend these. If you want to go with a mandibular repositioning device, I recommend going to a dentist who can oversee its use and choose the right oral device for you to help minimize the potential complications of tooth and jaw issues. However, these devices are expensive and tend to be poorly covered by insurance.

It was because of these limitations of oral devices, that led me to the epiphany of SnoreBuds and SnoreSealer.

SnoreSealer

The first goal of any anti-snore oral device should be to facilitate proper oral posture where the lips are closed and the tongue rest sealed up against the roof of the mouth. Most devices don't do this. Instead, most significantly open the mouth making both of these goals harder to achieve. That's why I created the SnoreSealer. It's the thinnest, most comfortable oral device that seals out mouth breathing and seals out snoring by allowed full lip closure and aiding in positioning the tongue against the palate.

SnoreBuds

It’s been over a decade now, but I remember searching for solutions to the problems of oral devices.

I had come across a novel treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea called nasal EPAP. It was clinically shown to be effective for sleep apnea and snoring. I wondered why no one used it.

Then one day I had an epiphany.

Nasal EPAP has had the potential to be the GO-TO anti-snore solution for the last 20 years but has been held up by 2 simple problems.

First, EPAP devices were originally developed only for obstructive sleep apnea. To use it, you had to have a sleep test and prescription, and so EPAP wasn’t available to the general snoring population.

Secondly, the nasal EPAP for sleep apnea only came in one high EPAP strength. There was no EPAP device with the ability to turn up or down the “Snore Strength” and tailor the EPAP to your individual needs.

That’s when I had the idea for SnoreBuds.

If I could use a nasal dilator with EPAP and add a dial, it could unleash a powerful technology to stop snoring. It could be simple and small. Comfortable and convenient. And super cost-effective.

It took over 10 years, but my imagination came to fruition.

I was awarded the patent for SnoreBuds’ “Nasal EPAP Dilator.”

After 10 years of R&D SnoreBuds came to life.

SnoreBuds checks all the anti-snore boxes:

The Best Anti-Snore Device: SnoreBuds vs Mouthguards

While I don’t recommend using most over-the-counter anti-snore mouthguards due to risks such as tooth movement and TMJ issues, oral devices provided by dentists do work.

Under the guidance of a dentist, you can adjust it which allows a degree of personalization.

Some people find them bulky and uncomfortable, while others tolerate them ok. 

If your issue is mouth breathing, the mouthguard to go with is the SnoreSealer, which will stop mouth breathing by allowing you to fully close your lips and seal your tongue to the palate — breathing just like nature intended.

If your issue isn't mouth breathing, then you next step is fixing nasal breathing, and I believe the future of anti-snore devices is nasal EPAP.

All other anti-snoring methods are limited by their ineffectiveness, lack of comfort, or side effects.

SnoreBuds is the only anti-snore solution that checks all the boxes.

It works and it’s safe.
It’s comfortable, convenient, and cost-effective.

SnoreBuds doesn’t come with the risks, costs, and burdens of other options.

SnoreBuds uses the power of your own breath to silence snoring and improve sleep, so you can get restful sleep together.