Sleep apnea is a common and possibly dangerous sleep disorder in which people stop and start breathing during the night. CPAP treatment, or continuous positive airway pressure, has helped a lot of people. But the CPAP mask isn’t comfy or easy for everyone to use. This has made more people interested in Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT), an option to CPAP that doesn’t use a mask and works well to treat sleep apnea. We will talk about OAT in more detail in this blog post. We will talk about its perks, how it works, and why it might be the right choice for you.
Understanding Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT)
As part of oral appliance therapy, a custom-made mouthpiece is worn while you sleep. By moving the lower jaw and tongue, this gadget helps keep the airway open. CPAP keeps the airway open with air pressure. OAT, on the other hand, keeps the airway open manually.
How Oral Appliances Work
The main job of an oral appliance is to keep the tongue in a forward position. This helps keep the upper airway open, which lowers the risk of airway blockage that can cause sleep apnea. Most of the time, these things are made of plastic and look like sports mouthguards or dental retainers.
Benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy
Comfort and ease of use: Oral appliances are small, light, and simple to use. Compared to CPAP, they are comfier and less obtrusive because they don’t use masks, hoses, or machines.
Quiet Operation: OAT is quiet because it doesn’t use a machine, which can be very helpful for both the patient and their napping partner.
Improved Compliance: Oral appliances are easier for many patients to stick to than CPAP, which leads to better long-term results.
Custom Fit: Because these appliances are made to fit each patient’s mouth, they are very comfortable and work very well.
Who Can Benefit from Oral Appliance Therapy?
People with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can use OAT. It may also be a choice for people with severe OSA who can’t handle CPAP treatment. Additionally, people who move a lot and find it hard to bring a CPAP machine with them may prefer the portability of an oral appliance.
The Process of Getting an Oral Appliance
Consultation and Diagnosis
The first thing you need to do to get an oral appliance is to see a sleep expert or a dentist who is trained in sleep medicine. It is possible to do a full sleep study to find out how bad sleep apnea is and see if OAT is a good treatment choice.
Custom Fitting
If OAT is suggested, molds of your teeth will be made so that a appliance can be made that fits perfectly. This makes sure that the item fits well and works properly. After that, the appliance will be made in a dentistry lab.
Fitting and Adjustment
Once the appliance is ready, you will have a fitting meeting where it will be adjusted to make sure it works best and is most comfortable for you. Follow-up meetings might be needed to make any changes that are needed and to see how well the therapy is working.
Comparing Oral Appliance Therapy and CPAP
Efficacy
Sleep apnea can be treated with both OAT and CPAP, but which one works best depends on how bad the problem is. Most people agree that CPAP is the best way to treat serious sleep apnea, while OAT works very well for mild to moderate cases.
Comfort
A lot of people find that oral appliances are more comfy than CPAP masks. If you are comfortable, you are more likely to follow through with your treatment, which is very important for people with sleep apnea.
Portability
Oral appliances are very easy to carry around, which makes them a great choice for people who travel a lot or want a more private answer.
