Dental devices

Dental devices are designed to open the airway so that patients can breathe more easily at night. While dental devices are not as effective as CPAP, they are often easier to use, and patients who have given up on CPAP may wish to try dental devices. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine's guidelines on obstructive sleep apnea say that patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea can try an oral appliance first if they do not want to try CPAP. Dozens of dental devices are available to treat obstructive sleep apnea, but most fall into one of two types. Some are FDA-approved to treat snoring only, and some are approved to treat obstructive sleep apnea as well.

Health Tips from Dr. Healy: Video: What men need to know about their cholesterol Choose another disease or condition... Allergic Rhinitis Allergies, Food Allergy & Asthma Center Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety Aortic Aneurysms Arrhythmia Arthritis, Osteo- (OA) Arthritis, Rheumatoid (RA) Asthma Atopic Dermatitis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Back Pain Brain Tumor Bones, Joints & Muscles Center Breast Cancer Brain & Behavior Center Brain Tumor Cancer Center    Brain Tumor    Breast Cancer    Cancer Prevention    Clinical Trials    Colorectal Cancer    Endometrial Cancer    Living With and Beyond Cancer    Lung Cancer    Prostate Cancer    Skin Cancer Cardiomyopathy Cataracts Cholesterol Control Clinical Trials Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Colorectal Cancer Congenital Heart Disease Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Center Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Digestive Disorders Center Eczema Endometrial Cancer Erectile Dysfunction (ED) Eye & Vision Center Fibromyalgia Food Allergies Gallstone Disease Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD Glaucoma Hay Fever Headache Heart Center Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C High Blood Pressure Hypertension Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Impotence Insomnia Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Living With and Beyond Cancer Losing Weight Lung Cancer Macular Degeneration Memory Loss Osteoarthritis (OA) Osteoporosis Parkinson's Disease Peptic Ulcer Prediabetes Prostate Cancer Respiratory Disorders Center Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Sexual & Reproductive Health Center Sinusitis Skin Cancer Sleep Apnea Sleep Center Stroke Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Weight Control American Sleep Apnea Association(ASAA): This site is a source of information and a community for sufferers of sleep apnea. ASAA hosts a forum with live chats, a geographical listing of support groups in the U.S. and Canada and specific guidance for parents with children who have the disease. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Find an extended definition of sleep apnea in this medical encyclopedia provided by the National Institutes of Health. MedlinePlus provides a separate directory of links to sleep apnea news, diagnosis, treatment, and research from government agencies and associations. National Sleep Foundation (NSF): After explaining the basics of sleep apnea, the NSF's "Sleeptionary" features sections on coping and links to articles. NSF also covers symptoms and treatment of sleep apnea in children. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI): NHLBI, part of the National Institutes of Health, includes sections on the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of sleep apnea. It outlines who is at risk, how to live with the condition, and how to help those who may have it. ClinicalTrials.gov: The National Institutes of Health maintains this research database of federally and privately supported clinical trials. It includes the purpose, eligibility criteria, and location for each study. SleepEducation.com: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine offers tools for evaluating sleep, including a true-false questionnaire and a sample sleep diary. The sleep apnea page walks patients through a series of points to help determine if they have sleep apnea, whether they need to see a sleep specialist, what to tell their doctor, and how their condition may be treated. Don't overlook additional resources, such as sleep apnea case studies or suggestions for sleep hygiene. Email this page Print this section

The type of dental device most commonly used for obstructive sleep apnea is called a mandibular advancement device (MAD). The device looks similar to the mouth guards that athletes wear. It moves the lower jaw slightly down and forward, which may help hold the airway open. Worn at night, the device widens the throat and increases the size of the airway.

Another kind of dental device is a tongue-retaining device or splint, which holds the tongue in a position that lets the airway remain open.

Dental devices should be fitted by dentists. It may take several weeks to get used to the device, but most people find them comfortable for sleeping.

A dental device may cause pain at the temporomandibular joint, where your jaw attaches to your skull, and can damage your teeth, gums, or jaw; be sure to follow up with your dentist, who can look for any side effects.