The National Sleep Foundation estimates that 18 million of adult Americans have sleep apnea. The sleep disorder has a range of treatments, including the use of an oral appliance. If your doctor has recommended that you be fitted for an oral appliance, here is what you need to know.
What Does The Oral Appliance Do?
While sleeping, the muscles in your throat are responsible for keeping your airway open. When the muscles fail to do this, sleep apnea occurs. As a result, you can experience a number of problems, including a lack of oxygen.
The oral appliance is designed to push your jaw into a forward position. The forward position forces your airways to stay open and allows your breathing to continue unhindered. Symptoms, such as snoring, are usually alleviated with the use of the appliance.
An oral appliance is usually an option if you have mild sleep apnea.
Why Should You Choose the Oral Appliance?
There are several reasons that the oral appliance is ideal for treating sleep apnea. For instance, it is a non-invasive method of treating the sleep disorder that is comfortable and easy to use. You can also easily travel with the appliance and not worry about it distracting others while you sleep, unlike a CPAP machine.
Caring for the oral appliance is also relatively easy. In addition to these benefits, the appliance is most likely covered by your medical or dental insurance since it is considered medically necessary.
What Is Required To Get An Oral Appliance?
Oral appliances are custom-fitted by an orthodontist. The orthodontist can rely on physical or digital impressions to ensure that the fit is right. Once the appliance is ready, the orthodontist might have to make adjustments.
It is possible that another sleep study will be conducted after you receive the oral appliance to determine whether or not it is effective. Your orthodontist might have to make further adjustments to the appliance after the study. The minor adjustments can help make the piece easier to wear, if necessary.
Annual evaluations of the appliance and your condition are also necessary. However, the evaluations are minor inconveniences compared to how well the appliance works in treating the sleep disorder.
Your orthodontist and family doctor will work together to devise the best oral appliance to treat your sleep disorder. Consult with both medical professionals to learn more about the oral appliance and your other treatment options. Go to the next site for additional reading material.
Share27 November 2015
Halloween is a holiday that my children love, and telling them they can't go door-to-door collecting candy would break their hearts. This led me to allowing them to collect candy on the holiday, then rationing it out to them every day instead of letting them gobble it up in just a few days. I always thought this was better for them, but my dentist told me this could be the reason why their February dental check-ups were always their worst ones. Daily candy consumption was taking a toll on their teeth. I started a new tradition of letting them indulge for two days, then giving them the option to swap the rest with me in exchange for a new toy. They never pass on the opportunity for a new toy. I created this blog to encourage other parents find similar tactics to keep their children's teeth healthy after Halloween.