Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea
at DeLand Smiles
If you or a loved one suffers from sleep apnea, you know what it’s like to wake up feeling tired, fatigued during the day, and stressed due to a lack of quality sleep.
What is an Oral Appliance?
An oral sleep appliance is a CPAP alternative in mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea. While a CPAP machine forces air down your nasal passageway, an oral appliance simply keeps your mouth, jaw, and nasal passageway in a proper, open position for adequate breathing at night.
This minimizes snoring and those scary pauses in breathing. You can see how this can greatly impact your quality of sleep—and your partner’s!
The Process
We’re happy to help patients find out if an oral appliance is right for them. First, we invite you to schedule an initial consultation so we can learn more about your health history.
When you come in, we’ll do an airway assessment to help us determine your candidacy. If it seems like the oral appliance could work for you, we’ll then send you home with instructions for an at-home sleep test. If you’d rather do an in-lab sleep test, we can arrange that with a nearby facility.
Two weeks after your sleep test, you’ll return to our practice to go over the results. At this time, we may take digital scans of your teeth to create your custom oral appliance. Once we receive your oral appliance back from the lab, you’ll be able to take it home and begin wearing it right away.
Why Choose an Oral Appliance Over CPAP?
An oral appliance can be an excellent choice for snorers or those diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea. Choosing an oral appliance over a CPAP machine greatly reduces any noise associated with nighttime, i.e., you won’t have to deal with a noisy machine at your bedside. The appliance is also much less expensive and may be covered by your medical insurance. Lastly, you won’t need to lug a CPAP around when traveling—your appliance will easily fit in any small toiletry bag.
Find Out What’s Best for You
If you’re wondering whether yourself or your partner is a candidate for an oral sleep appliance, we’d love to invite you to book a consultation with our practice.
Schedule your visit today
Schedule your visit today at DeLand Smiles and take the first step toward a restful night’s sleep and improved health.
CONTACT US