Hate Your CPAP? Discover the Benefits of a Custom Oral Appliance
For people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), CPAP therapy can be an effective sleep apnea treatment in Mansfield, TX. However, knowing a treatment works doesn’t always make it easy to use or wear every night. Some people struggle to feel comfortable in a CPAP mask, find the machine cumbersome and limiting, or find the required maintenance a pain.
For certain patients, a custom oral appliance may offer a more comfortable, mobile, and silent CPAP alternative treatment.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliances are a CPAP alternative device that you wear while you sleep. It’s custom-made just for you and your anatomy and repositions your jaw to keep your airway open. It fits much like a mouthguard, and a trained dental professional adjusts it as needed.
How Does an Oral Appliance Work?
This device gently holds your lower jaw forward while you sleep, helping keep your airway from collapsing no matter what position you’re sleeping in. Oral appliances don’t make noise, don’t need electricity to work, and don’t involve masks or tubing to maintain.
Comfort Can Make Treatment Easier
One of the biggest advantages of an oral appliance is its simple design. If you find CPAP cumbersome or limiting because it needs electricity, these differences can make treatment easier to fit into your nightly routine.
Many people with sleep apnea in Mansfield have very active lives. If you like to travel, an oral appliance can be a great way to stay on track with your sleep apnea treatment without worrying about how to transport or power a CPAP machine. The easier it is to use and wear your sleep apnea device, the better your compliance will be, which leads to better treatment outcomes.
Who’s a Good Candidate for a Custom Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance?
Oral appliance therapy may work for adults with mild to moderate sleep apnea. It’s important to get a sleep evaluation before discussing treatment options, as those with severe obstructive sleep apnea may need more support than an oral appliance can provide.
Snoring alone doesn’t determine whether an oral appliance is appropriate, and untreated sleep apnea should not be diagnosed based on symptoms alone. A comprehensive evaluation is the best way to make sure you’re getting the diagnosis and treatment you need.
A Different Approach to Better Sleep
CPAP remains an important and effective treatment tool for sleep apnea, but it’s not the right fit for everyone. An oral appliance may offer patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea a quieter, more convenient way to manage their symptoms.
If CPAP has become difficult for you to tolerate or you need something more conducive to travel, schedule an appointment with us. Together, we can determine whether a custom oral appliance will work for you.