Oral Appliance Therapy Oral appliance therapy is an efficient way of treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Typically, a CPAP machine is used to treat OSA, but oral appliance therapy is also a highly reliable alternative treatment. It consists of a mouthguard and a dental device that will stabilize your tongue. This therapy includes wearing a removable oral appliance while sleeping. The device is customized to each person so it will easily fit in your mouth. Cooley Smiles has years of experience and the required technology in house to develop suitable oral appliances for you.How Does Oral Appliance Therapy Work?Once we have thoroughly examined you and made sure that you are suitable for oral appliance therapy to treat your sleep apnea, our team will develop a custom-made oral sleep appliance for you. Once made, you have to have it in your mouth the whole night sleeping. This device will prevent your airways from collapsing, a common problem for difficulty breathing during the night. The device achieves this goal by supporting your jaws in a forward position and holding the tongue in place. An oral appliance can also comfortably fit in your mouth like an orthodontic retainer or mouthguard. Medical studies show that oral appliance therapy is beneficial in treating both OSA and general snoring. Types of Oral Appliance TherapyA lot of different oral appliances are available. The primary purpose of all of these appliances is to treat obstructive sleep apnea. The size and appearance of these appliances might slightly differ, and our team of professionals can best advise which one would be right for you. However, the majority of oral appliances are of two types. Mandibular repositioning devices are used to relocate your lower jaw in a forward position and slightly downwards to keep the airways open while sleeping. On the other hand, tongue retaining devices are straightforward oral appliances used to hold your tongue to keep the airways open. Benefits of Oral Appliance TherapyOral appliance therapy is a very reliable and productive treatment for up to moderate sleep apnea. It offers numerous health benefits like any traditional CPAP machine. By getting proper treatment for your sleep apnea, you will be decreasing your chances of getting a heart attack or other cardiovascular condition. Similarly, the chances of a stroke and developing diabetes will also be reduced. One of the massive benefits of oral appliance therapy that you can enjoy is that it is very comfortable and straightforward because you can easily insert and remove the oral appliance. Once you start getting good-quality sleep using oral appliance therapy and treating your sleep apnea, you will see a quick improvement in your concentration, focus, energy levels, and daytime alertness. Overall, it will significantly improve your quality of life. Risks of Oral Appliance TherapyThere are some risks associated with oral appliance therapy, as well. You might experience excessive mouth dryness and drooling while sleeping due to the oral appliance in your mouth. In some severe cases, you can experience pain in your jaws, loose teeth, or affect previous dental work, such as dental crowns. Temporary jaw pains are also very common at first. You can visit us at Cooley Smiles to get more guidance about what kind of oral appliance therapy would be useful for you. You can also call us at (425) 249-3509 to get answers to any of your questions. |
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(425) 249-3509 everett@cooleysmiles.com LOCATION 10627 19th Ave SE, Suite B Everett, WA 98208-5147 |
