I am at crossroads. I have mild sleep apnea but major snoring problem. My wife wears earplugs and I sometimes wake myself up because the snoring is loud. I have tried the CPAP without success and I have used the Mandibular Repositioning Device last couple of years. The drawbacks with this appliance is did not always stop the snoring, many times I had to remove it in the middle of the night due to jaw pain, it caused my bite to be off so when I chew I would often bite my lower lip, and if you had dental work (crowns) it changes the fitting of the appliance. So I am left with two choices. I saw a MD who specializes in snoring and sleep disorders who recommending the Pillar Palatal Implants. The coast is $2000 and is somewhat a simple procedure in the office. Then I heard about the Full Breath Solution. I went for a consualtion and the dentist spent an hour with explaining how the device works and how it differs than other dental appliances. It was a very nice dog and pony show where they had me breath through a hose that is hooked up to a montior that shows your breathing capacity through your airway using a graph on a color digital screen ( impressive). Then they have you repeat the test with the FBS device in your mouth. The graph then showed a higher capacity of airflow. I was told the device should help stop my snoring to the tune of $4000. I don't know about the snoring but it sure caught my breath. I had my x-rays done and I am ready for my first appointment to get fitted withthe FBS. Sadly I have cancelled my appointment twice because I can't seem to plunk down the money without more reassurance. I would like some advice and suggestions concerning these procedures. I look forward to hearing from you all.

i just read here in the sleep apnea forum, a new surgery that is on trial in belgium and now in the usa, why don't you wait to see the outcome of this research; check it out in the news posted at the top of the apnea homepage;

The Aspire surgery sounds promising and minimally invasive...  Not sure when it will be available in the US, but it might be worth waiting for.

I'm a little leery about full breath because it seems to overpriced. Not because I know whether or not it works

If you are considering a dental appliance, which can be a good choice, please factor in your investment of time. Dental appliances will not always work from the get go and need to be titraded over multiple visits to the doctor in an trial and effort process as the device is "fine tuned". Unfortunately this is not often mentioned to patients as they begin the process. If this fine tuning process is not done carefully, patients can develop oral facial pain (i.e. tjm) and unusual occlusion (that is the position in which your teeth come together when you close your mounth). At least with something like Pillar, it's usually a one time visit to the doctor if there are no complications, and a follow up visit a few weeks later. Also, dental appliances can be used in conjunction with Pillar because the oral device deals with the tongue and Pillar deals with the palate....the two most common areas of obstruction.