After two weeks advancing the Somnodent MAS one turn at a time with no jaw pain, I got overly confident and advanced it 3 turns in one night and woke up with intense jaw pain on only the right side. The past two nights I have turned it back 2 times each night and still wake up with jaw pain on only the right side. Should I keep turning it back a little at a time while still wearing the OA, or stop completely? Also, why is the pain limited to only one side? When I asked the sleep dentist for exercises, he told me to chew gum in the morning. Are there other exercises and if so, where can I find them? (NOTE: I asked the dentist for jaw exercises for pain before I actually started experiencing the jaw pain.) Any help would be much appreciated.

I had a similar experience with my Somnodent when I began wearing it (I think my problem came from the rubber bands, not from advancing it as I did not get that far). My pain was only on the right also. My pain was enough that I stopped wearing the OA for a month and made sure my jaw was totally pain free. I started wearing it again, with no rubber bands, and have not had a problem. My sleep is good and I feel well rested. I would reset it to its beginning position, what for your jaw to heal and then wear it. And, only advance it on turn a night, or every other night. That is my experience, I hope it helps.

Also, go easy on the gum, it is easy to over do it.

After reading your post, I turned my Somnodent back another 4 turns and woke up with the pain endurable. Is it true that the Somnodent is advanced in increments of 1/10 millimeter? I was given no ballpark number (number of turns) of what to shoot for to find the "sweet spot." I was just told to find it. I think it would have been helpful to at least been given an idea of what most people generally advance to. I have read on other posts that people get out (maximum) to around 4 to 5 millimeters. I mention this because I don't want to go night after night testing and retesting (without using the Somnodent in conjunction with my CPAP) to see if I have found the "sweet spot" and waking up exhausted for weeks when I'm a good three or four weeks from finding the spot. Know what I mean?

I believe the Somnodent is advanced in increments of 1/10 millimeter. As for how far to turn it...My sleep dentist recommended 20 turns from the starting position. I do not know where that number came from and seems pretty arbitrary to me. That being said, I am out 19 turns, sleeping well and feeling well rested and energetic throughout the day. It just takes time and patience to get there, and it is not a process you can rush. As you found out, that only leads to jaw pain.

Let your jaw muscles heal. When you are pain free, start advancing again. I am optimistic you will find the spot you need for good sleep and more energy. My big improvement came around 10-12 turns, or about where you were before your jaw issues.

Hang in there, it really is worth the time and effort.

This is very helpful, I really appreciate this info. Thanks!

anna_bel wrote:After two weeks advancing the Somnodent MAS one turn at a time with no jaw pain, I got overly confident and advanced it 3 turns in one night and woke up with intense jaw pain on only the right side. The past two nights I have turned it back 2 times each night and still wake up with jaw pain on only the right side. Should I keep turning it back a little at a time while still wearing the OA, or stop completely? Also, why is the pain limited to only one side? When I asked the sleep dentist for exercises, he told me to chew gum in the morning. Are there other exercises and if so, where can I find them? (NOTE: I asked the dentist for jaw exercises for pain before I actually started experiencing the jaw pain.) Any help would be much appreciated.

I am a dentist working in dental sleep medicine. I think that you did yourself some harm by doing too much adjustment that one night. People's TMJ's can be surprisingly touchy and advancing just a little too far a little too fast can generate a surprising amount of pain. Usually the damage can be reversed. I would agree with the other posters that you should rest the jaw until you are pain-free and then start again at a more conservative position. Before I started again, however, I would go back to your dentist and have him check to make sure that you have adjusted both sides of the device equally. If the adjustments are even slightly unequal with that device, the TMJ on one side will cause pain.

Thanks very much! I am taking the advice and resting my jaw and pray that it will heal so I can start adjusting again, but I'll return to the dentist first like you say.

Great info guys Keep it posting.Share your knowledge with people.