Dental Mouthpieces for Sleep Apnea

Dentist designed oral appliances provide symptom relief for sleep apnea problems. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that disrupts sleep leaving the person tired and irritable during the daytime. With the use of a dental mouth piece that fits into the mouth, the tongue is prevented from collapsing.

People suffering from sleep apnea may not be aware that a dentist can help them cope with the problem. In this article we cover dental mouthpieces to give you a better understanding of how these devices can help you cope with sleep disorders that disturb night-time sleep. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved certain oral appliances to be used in the treatment of sleep apnea. These devices are available at dentist offices and are an option when surgical cures and CPAP machines have proven ineffective in helping to alleviate the problem.

Dental mouthpieces designed to treat sleep apnea are all based on the same principle. They help to prevent the soft tissue found at the back of the mouth from collapsing. Sleep apnea problems arise when this tissue collapses causing the person to breathe shallowly and with pauses between breaths. Having to wear a dental mouthpiece to bed will seem odd at first and possibly a little uncomfortable. But when a good night’s sleep is at stake, one must make the effort to get used to it.

There are some 16 dental mouthpieces available through dentist offices that have received FDA approval. The 16 mouthpieces are divided into two categories of appliances: tongue retainers and mandibular repositioning devices.

The most common type of dental mouthpiece for sleep apnea is the mandibular positioning appliance. It works to alter the position of the mandible or lower jaw. The mouthpiece pushes the mandible forward, repositioning the tongue, which by the way is attached to the lower jaw. In so doing, the mouthpiece keeps the airways open and helps the person breathe normally, alleviating sleep apnea symptoms.

Tongue retainers on the other hand, are a less common dental mouthpiece used for treating sleep apnea. However, they have been proven to be more effective than some of the other oral appliances available. The tongue retainer consists of a suction cup that pulls the tongue forward, in effect preventing the back of the tongue from collapsing when breathing. This does take some getting used, especially when it has to be worn at night to bed!





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