Oral Appliances
Oral breathing devices are a common remedy for snoring and sleep apnea. Worn while sleeping, these custom dental devices change the position of the jaw and suppress the tongue, which enlarges the airway.
Benefits Of Snoring Mouthpieces
By reducing the chance of blockage in the throat, these devices can be very effective in treating problem snoring and mild sleep apnea, and, because they don’t require any surgery or medical procedures, these devices are also relatively inexpensive and is considered a simple solution for snoring & sleep apnea.
Limitations Of Snoring Mouthpieces
Many dentists and sleep centers recommend oral appliances for patients who can’t tolerate CPAP. However, when these devices are used by themselves, the degree of mandibular advancement (how far forward the jaw is placed) needs to be significant, and many patients complain of jaw joint discomfort or changes to their teeth and bite. We have found greater success using these devices in conjunction with other treatments.
Our Recommendations
We only use oral appliances in conjunction with other procedures, as part of a more comprehensive treatment approach. By combining multiple treatment methods, we have found that oral appliances are better tolerated, and therefore more likely to actually be used.