Oral appliances are most effective in the treatment of mild to moderate sleep apnea although they do provide a treatment alternative for patients with severe osa who cannot or will not tolerate positive airway pressure therapy.
Oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea.
Oral appliance therapy is a treatment for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
If you and your doctor decide that oral appliance therapy is the best treatment option for you then your doctor will write a prescription for you to receive a custom made oral appliance.
The preferred method of treating obstructive sleep apnea osa is the cpap machine.
The device fits much like a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer.
Despite their double retainer like appearance oral appliances are said to be comfortable to use.
It supports the jaw in a forward position to help maintain an open upper airway.
One appliance looks like a mouth guard.
For people who can t tolerate a cpap machine dentists may recommend an oral appliance.
An alternative treatment is oral appliance therapy.
They should be custom fitted by your dentist to ensure both comfort and effectiveness.
Research shows that oral appliance therapy is an effective treatment option for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Worn only during sleep an oral appliance fits like an orthodontic retainer.
Oral appliance therapy is commonly used today in the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea osa.
Another dental device stabilizes the tongue.
If you have persistent symptoms of sleep apnea and don t use your cpap you should have a conversation with your sleep doctor to review alternative treatments including potentially using an oral appliance and trying some exercises as long as you do not have severe sleep apnea.
For patients who suffer from severe osa and are utilizing a cpap machine gold standard for severe cases an oral appliance can be used in conjunction with the cpap for maximum benefit to the patient.
The purpose of this appliance is to keep your airway open while you sleep so that you can breathe easily without any apnea interruptions.