SLEEP APPLIANCE​
WHAT ARE ORAL APPLIANCES FOR SLEEP APNEA?
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Oral appliances are devices put in the mouth to help keep a person’s airway open as they sleep. There are several styles of devices available on the market and it is important to find one that will be comfortable for you on a daily basis. Although these appliances may reduce snoring, they differ from anti-snoring devices available in stores, many of which have not been studied as OSA treatments.
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Not everyone qualifies for an oral appliance. I like to say dentists are like 'pharmacists' when it comes to this type of care. You are only able to be 'diagnosed' with a sleep disordered condition from a qualified physician who focuses on sleep. Then you may be 'prescribed' an oral appliance by this physician. It is important to understand your sleep condition prior to starting any night time appliance as untreated, or improperly treated sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that can lead to death.
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Because they help reduce physical blockages of the airway, oral appliances aren’t used to treat central sleep apnea (CSA). People with CSA experience lapses in breathing as they sleep due to issues with brain stem signaling, not physical airway blockages.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Affects Over
40 Million Adults in the U.S. Alone.
The American Heart Association called it "The Not-So Silent Killer" in 2020
Left Untreated, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Results In:
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23x more likely to suffer a Heart Attack
4x more likely to have a Stroke
Elevated risk of Hypertension, Diabetes, Congestive Heart Failure, Depression & Arythmia
NO MATTER YOUR HEALTH, WEALTH, or FITNESS LEVEL, SLEEP APNEA CAN CUT YEARS OFF YOUR LIFE
Anton Scalia*
Died at age 79
Carrie Fisher
Died at age 60
Reggie White
Died at age 43
*It’s worth noting that deceased Supreme Court justice Anton Scalia, who passed away in 2016, may have died as the result of failing to turn on his CPAP machine to treat his sleep apnea.
