How an Oral Appliance for Sleep Apnea Could Help You
Do you struggle with getting enough sleep? Do you wake up tired and remain fatigued throughout the day? You may have sleep apnea, a serious condition that causes breathing to stop and start repeatedly while you’re trying to sleep. This can affect your overall quality of life.
Rather than getting a CPAP machine or undergoing surgery, people in the Monroeville and Pittsburgh, PA area can come to the Center for Dental Excellence. By using an oral appliance for sleep apnea, we can help you get a better night’s sleep.
How Sleep Apnea Appliances Work
Similar to a retainer, the sleep apnea appliance is worn at night while you sleep. There are no face masks or bands required to keep this small oral appliance in place through the night.
The custom appliance keeps your lower jaw in a forward position. This slight adjustment helps maintain an open airway while you are sleep. That means less snoring and uninterrupted breathing throughout the night. Thanks to this simple custom appliance, you’ll wake up feeling more refreshed and energetic.
Creating the Custom Oral Appliance
Crafting the custom sleep apnea appliance is simple. During your visit to our Monroeville practice, we will take an impression of your teeth. This ensures the appliance is as comfortable as possible.
The impressions are sent to an off-site dental lab. It’s there that the custom appliance is fabricated. Simple as that.
Advantages Over Other Sleep Apnea Treatments
If you have tried other sleep apnea treatments, you may have been put off. CPAP machines are loud and cumbersome, and are not always comfortable to wear at night. Surgery for sleep apnea can be expensive, and any surgical procedure carries the risk of infection and other complications.
The benefits of oral appliances when treating sleep apnea are numerous. Some of the key advantages include:
- Small and portable
- Comfortable to wear
- Quiet and requires no charging
- No surgery or downtime
- No side effects
The Limitations of the Oral Appliance
Please note that the custom oral appliance only works for mild, moderate, and even severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by physical blockage of the airways while you sleep.
The oral appliance is not able to treat central sleep apnea (CSA). Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain failing to send breathing signals.
There is also mixed sleep apnea, which involves a combination of OSA and CSA. The use of an oral appliance can help play a role in treating some cases of mixed sleep apnea.
Benefits to Treating Sleep Apnea
Treating your sleep apnea with an oral appliance can lead to better, more regular sleep, which can have numerous health benefits, including:
- Higher energy levels through the day
- Reduction in stress
- Elevated moods
- Healthier immune system
- Lower risk for diabetes and heart disease
- Improved memory
- Reduced risk of weight gain
Other Ways to Improve Your Sleep
In addition to the use of an oral appliance, we may recommend other ways to improve sleep quality as part of your treatment. This may include:
- Blue light filters and apps for screens at night
- Keeping your bedroom dark
- Avoiding strenuous exercise immediately before bed
- Meditation
Contact Us Today
Our experts at the Center for Dental Care would be happy to answer any questions you have regarding non-invasive sleep apnea treatment. Give us a call today at (412) 373-9447 or go online to schedule an appointment.
