Why Oral Appliance Therapy Could Be Your Best Option for Treating Sleep Apnea
The most important thing to learn and understand about your obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis is that you do have options. So many people ignore their symptoms and avoid getting treatment because they've been inundated with wrong and misleading information that leads them to believe all hope is lost.
The goal for treating your OSA or snoring is not to strap a CPAP mask to your face or to slice you up on an operating table. The goal is to get you the best sleep possible while breathing through your nose. Survey data suggests that 71% of people sleep with their mouths open, which can lead to a dramatic decrease in the quality of their sleep[1]. Arming yourself with methods that can help prevent this can be the most straightforward way to attack your symptoms.
What is an oral appliance for sleep apnea?
Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) is a customized, non-invasive option to treat snoring and sleep apnea. To the untrained eye, this device closely resembles a retainer or mouth guard, but its purpose and design are specific to treating sleep apnea and snoring.
This appliance is a custom-made medical device engineered to perfectly fit your teeth. It uses your upper jaw to bring your lower jaw forward by millimeters and repositions your tongue keeping it from falling back into your throat. This, in turn, keeps your airway from being obstructed and allows you to breathe normally…which is critical for healthy restful sleep.
Where can I get an oral appliance?
You might be thinking this sounds awfully like something you could get from your dentist or even over-the-counter at a pharmacy. But not all "mouthpieces" are created equal.
One of those cheaper, do-it-yourself, one-size-fits-some mouth guards from the pharmacy or online are more likely to fit poorly, be bulkier, less comfortable, difficult to get used to, and ultimately less effective in treating your sleep apnea or snoring. Because of this, they're likely to wind up on your pillow by morning - after you spit it out in your sleep…meaning your symptoms persist and your sleep apnea goes untreated.
The better, long-term solution is to get an Oral Appliance from a medical professional trained in treating sleep and breathing issues. This is because these appliances will be sturdier, fit better, and last longer than an over-the-counter mouthguard. That's where ADVENT comes in, our Oral Appliance is precision fit, custom-tailored to you. So you can get a better night's sleep knowing that your sleep apnea and snoring are effectively being treated.
Here are just a few benefits of an Oral Appliance over traditional treatment like CPAP:
Why would a dentist treat a sleep disorder?
The fact of the matter is, many dentists now sell Oral Appliances. That may seem logical, after all, a dentist spends the bulk of their day looking in peoples' mouths. But the thing is, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a medical condition, not a dental issue.
If you wear glasses they rest on your ears...but you still get them from an eye doctor, not an ear specialist. Similarly, an Oral Appliance may hug your teeth but its purpose has nothing to do with your teeth, it's to treat a serious Sleep Breathing Disorder that resides in your throat. Getting a similar product from your dentist won't be the complete solution you're in need of. In addition, because OSA is a medical condition (not dental), your dentist most likely wouldn't be able to submit it to your medical insurance.
Now don't get us wrong. If you need a retainer or moldable night guard your dentist is the right person for the job. After all, a retainer is tending to your teeth and your bite and a night guard is preventing you from clenching and grinding your teeth. An Oral Appliance, however, serves its own unique purpose…
This device is specifically engineered and fitted to keep your airway open thus reducing your symptoms of sleep apnea and snoring. Plus, unlike the device you'd buy over the counter, a custom-made Oral Appliance has a slimmer profile, is less bulky, is made from higher-grade material, and is more durable. You'll get a more precise and comfortable fit that helps you breathe and sleep like you're meant to.
By seeking Oral Appliance Therapy from experts in sleep, breathing, and throat issues, you know you'll be receiving more specific care to best set you up for success.
Oral Appliance Therapy at ADVENT: Making Sleep Apnea Treatment Easy
Obstructive sleep apnea and snoring are airway issues - 100% of the time. You likely have a nose that doesn't work properly and are experiencing obstructions in your Breathing Triangle that are forcing you to breathe through your mouth at night. (And probably during the day too - is your mouth open right now?)
ADVENT's Oral Appliance is...
*Compared to Standard Oral Appliances
With ADVENT's nose-first approach, we start with a comprehensive full-airway assessment to get to the root cause of your sleep apnea and snoring. Our team of highly-trained medical professionals specializes in this area, that we refer to as The Breathing Triangle® - your nose and throat - and it's all we do. This laser focus allows us to have a level of expertise with these sleep disorders, the issues causing them, and most importantly, how to treat them, that you simply won't find elsewhere.
By seeking Oral Appliance Therapy at ADVENT, you are trusting the total process with skilled experts. We treat you from beginning to end… from risk-free assessment and dental scan, to fit and delivery, to follow-ups and finding your "sweet spot" for the most comfortable and effective sleep apnea treatment. We can even work with your insurance or offer flexible payment options to ensure OAT fits within your budget.
ADVENT is your all-in-one source for sleep, sinus, or snoring issues. If you have concerns about snoring or sleep apnea, schedule your new patient appointment for a complete Breathing Triangle Evaluation and learn more about Oral Appliance Therapy.