A dental appliance now offers an alternative to apnea sufferers who need to use a CPAP system (continuous positive airway pressure). While the CPAP is effective, many people find it too cumbersome.
Dr. Kenneth Hilsen says, "One of the techniques for treating the most common sleep disorder, which is sleep apnea, is the use of an oral appliance.”
Though it looks like a sports mouth-guard, the top and bottom are joined together. The device holds the bottom jaw forward, preventing the tongue from relaxing into the airway during sleep.
Dr. Hilsen says, "If we just move the jaw forward, the tongue moves with it and the airway just becomes more open.” The process to make the appliance is similar to other orthodontic work.
“We take impressions. We take special bites too so we know where the jaw should be placed, and we send that off to the laboratory.”
And since it's less bulky, patients are more apt to use it. “Compliance is very high," Dr. Hilsen says. "People wear them for years.”
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has published guidelines on the use of oral appliances for sleep apnea. The sleep specialists say that the devices are appropriate for mild to moderate sleep obstructive sleep apnea patients, and can even be used in patients with more serious cases if they aren’t using their CPAP machine.
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