SLEEP APNOEA & SNORING
Things to Know About Oral Appliances
- They are one of the ways to treat sleep apnoea.
- They work well, but not as well as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure).
- They are used for people with mild to moderate sleep apnoea or those who can’t use CPAP.
- You put them in your mouth before you sleep, like a mouthguard.
- They change the position of your jaw to give you a wider airway.
- You can also use them to stop snoring.
- You must have a dentist fit one specifically for you as over-the-counter devices don’t work consistently enough.
- You need to take care of them and keep them clean.
What Are Oral Appliances?
Oral appliances are one of the options that you can use to treat mild or moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, as well as Snoring. They are also called Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS) or Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) or Mandibular Repositioning Appliances (MRA). They look a bit like a mouth guard. At night, before you go to bed, you put it in your mouth. There is no need to wear it during the day.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Most frequent questions and answers
They push your lower jaw forwards. Your airway will open up more and there will be less of a risk that it will vibrate (snore) or obstruct.
As with all treatments, some people respond better than others. The oral appliance will work best if you have mild to moderate sleep apnoea, if your sleep apnoea is a lot better when you lie on your side than when you lie on your back and if you are not overweight. If you have central sleep apnoea (less common than obstructive sleep apnoea), then oral appliances will probably not help. But until you have tried it, no one can say for sure how well it will work for you.
They push your lower jaw forwards. Your airway will open up more and there will be less of a risk that it will vibrate (snore) or obstruct.
If fitted correctly, it should be comfortable most of the time. Because it pushes your jaw forward, some people feel discomfort initially, but this tends to get better with prolonged use. Mostly, any discomfort is in the joint at the back of your jaw, just in front of the ear. This should soon go away when you take the appliance out in the morning. Other people find that it causes saliva to build up in the mouth, or makes the teeth feel tender. Again, these symptoms settle quickly with continuing use. Over the long term, there may be tooth movement, changes in your bite or problems with the joint and muscles of the jaw. It is important to have a regular check up with the dentist who supplied the appliance to detect these problems early so they can be dealt with.
They push your lower jaw forwards. Your airway will open up more and there will be less of a risk that it will vibrate (snore) or obstruct.
Each person has a different mouth and jaw shape, so you should have one made to fit you. Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and send the mould away for the appliance to be made. This usually takes 2 or 3 weeks, when it is fitted into your mouth, it will be adjusted so that it moves your jaw forward to a position that will be effective but is still comfortable. The device will have a screw adjustment to allow further fine tuning of the position over the next few weeks. Your dentist will help supervise this.
There are some kinds of dental devices that you can buy over the counter. These are cheaper, but they usually do not work. You will be wearing an appliance for a long time, so it is best to have one fitted especially for you. This will make it work better and help avoid any side effects. After the appliance is fitted, follow-up visits with your dentist or sleep specialist will be needed.
Yes. If it is fitted properly, it works well for snoring.
They push your lower jaw forwards. Your airway will open up more and there will be less of a risk that it will vibrate (snore) or obstruct.
Perhaps you have started snoring again, or feel tired during the day. If so, then you need to have it checked out. Your dentist might be able to adjust the appliance further. If it comes out when you are asleep, then you should have it looked at. It might not be fitted right. After a number of years some people using an oral appliance find they need to consider other treatments for their sleep apnoea.
From dental implants to orthodontic braces and many other advanced treatments, Richmond Dental Clinic offers a wide variety of options to help you maintain a beautiful, healthy smile. These before-and-after photos show the results that many of our patients now enjoy after treatment. If you would like to learn more about how Richmond Dental Clinc can help you meet your needs, please contact us today.
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