Are You a Candidate for Oral Appliance Therapy?

If you have sleep apnea, you may know how important it is to be treated for it – but you also may not be looking forward to getting a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. You should know that there are other treatment choices out there, one of which is oral appliance therapy. Read on to see if this might be right for you!

What Do CPAP Machines Do?

A CPAP machine works by delivering pressurized air into the body in a way that keeps the airway from collapsing so that breathing is uninterrupted as you sleep. A mask fits over the patient’s face and is connected to the machine by a tube. However, many people find that they can’t use a CPAP machine and that oral appliance therapy is the better choice. An oral appliance is a simple plastic device that you wear over your teeth when you sleep – no tubes, no masks, no machines. Oral appliances work by keeping the tongue from collapsing into the throat or by adjusting the placement of the tongue while repositioning the jaw.

Oral appliance therapy might be right for you if:

• You find CPAP to be very uncomfortable to sleep in.
• You travel a lot and find CPAP difficult to conveniently take with you.
• You are concerned that you can’t get your CPAP tubes clean enough.
• You have tried CPAP and aren’t happy with the side effects, such as headaches, skin irritation, and the gas and bloating that can come when you swallow too much air.

With an oral appliance, you don’t have to worry about the discomfort of the mask and tubes or the risk of side effects. You don’t have to worry about cleaning your machine or packing it up for travel.

There are many disadvantages to using CPAP to treat sleep apnea – but sleep apnea should not be ignored. Left untreated it can lead to serious medical problems. Don’t just give up if you have sleep apnea – oral appliance therapy may be just the answer for you! Contact eos dental sleep for an oral appliance consultation. Call the office in Philadelphia at (215) 241-0700 today!