Oral Appliance Therapy Vs Cpap

2 what is the experience of getting and using an oral or dental appliance like.

Oral appliance therapy vs cpap. The oral appliance is an appealing treatment for sleep apnea and snoring provided by specialty dentists but what do you need to know to find an effective option. Oral appliance therapy should be considered as a viable treatment alternative to continuous positive airway pressure cpap in patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome osas. Oral appliance therapy typically includes either a mandibular advancement device mad or tongue stabilizing device tsd sometimes referred to a tongue retaining device trd. The device is small and fits right in your luggage.

Travel with an oral appliance is easy. For instance cpap therapy may include a number of different types of machines including the bi level positive airway pressure bipap and auto adjusting cpap apap. However while extremely effective the cpap does not work for everyone. In patients with severe osas cpap remains the treatment of first choice.

Oral device therapy recommended by the american academy of sleep medicine oral devices also called oral appliances can be used for the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea osa. Oral appliance therapy has higher compliance rates than cpap therapy cons of oral appliance therapy some patients report soreness in their jaw teeth or gums when using the device or when initially adjusting to the treatment may cause excessive salivation for some patients. This appliance pushes the jaw forward to help maintain an open upper airway during sleep. Unlike cpap an oral appliance does not make any noise.

Oral appliances are a good and effective alternative to cpap in treating mild to moderate sleep apnea. It is an appliance that patients wear during sleep that fits like a mouth guard or orthodontic retainer. Oral appliance therapy oat is a newer form of therapy for sleep apnea than cpap and it is recommended by the american academy of sleep medicine. When a patient does not take well to the cpap a dentist who specializes in sleep therapy may recommend an oral appliance.

An oral appliance does not require electricity like a cpap machine. While people with moderate to severe apnea will get better results from cpap therapy ultimately some benefit from an imperfect treatment is better than no benefit from a treatment you give up on too soon to see results.