Dental Sleep Appliances

It is important to choose a treatment that has been scientifically proven to be effective and comfortable and used by qualified experts in the field.    This is very important as there are many unproven and ineffective remedies for snoring and sleep apnea.    There are only two proven effective treatments for snoring and sleep apnea — dental sleep appliances and the CPAP machine.

Dental Appliance & the CPAP Machine

Customized dental sleep appliances are now regarded by sleep physicians as the best available treatment for snoring and a primary treatment for sleep apnea.

The appliances are made from thin yet high strength acrylic, go over the tops of the teeth and are worn during sleep.    Sleep appliances have been proven to be effective, safe and comfortable and have minimal side-effects.    Surgery is now rarely utilized because the results have been poor with potentially significant side effects.

Based on over 15 years of published scientific studies, dental sleep appliances are now accepted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, as a key treatment for snoring as well as mild to moderate sleep apnea.

At MI Beautiful Sleep,   Dr. Pittsley receives referrals for oral appliance therapy for snoring and sleep apnea from specialist sleep physicians, GP's, ENT's, dentists and other health professionals.

How effective is a dental sleep appliance?

There are now studies demonstrating that appliances are over 95% effective in overcoming snoring.    The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends oral appliance therapy as an effective treatment for patients suffering from mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

How does a dental sleep appliance work to eliminate snoring & sleep apnea?

The main way that appliances work is by preventing the tissues at the back of the throat and the base of the tongue from collapsing back into the airway.    These appliances take the lower jaw forward, bringing the tongue with it, thereby clearing the airway at the back of the throat.

Types of dental sleep appliances

The most effective, comfortable types of appliances are those made from impressions and models of the patient's own teeth.    These customized appliances ensure a perfect fit and minimal dimensions.

New Generation Custom-Made Dental Sleep Appliances

Oxygen is allowed to flow adequately into the airway with the help of a device that holds the lower jaw forward to prevent collapse of the airway and eliminate instances of breathing cessation.    With improved breathing, patients are able to get a good night's rest and give their partners a chance to sleep with decreased snoring.

  • The Tap 3

    The tap 3 appliance belongs to the group of appliances that have an anterior mechanism for bringing the jaw (mandible) forward.    The TAP device is comfortable and adjustable to fit patients' unique size and shape mouths.
  • The Dorsal

    Apart from its very minimal design (only covering the tops of the teeth) the dorsal has a special design feature.     Simple adjustments for bringing the jaw forward can easily be made by the patient.    This is a key feature of a new generation appliance
  • EMA Dental Appliance

    The EMA Appliance

    The EMA (Elastomeric Mandibular Advancement) is a small and unobtrusive sleep appliance.    The upper and lower components are held together with straps of varying lengths and flexibility.    These straps allow for excellent side to side movement, as well as anterior movement dictating the amount of jaw advancement needed to treat obstructive sleep apnea.
  • Herbst Dental Appliance

    The Herbst

    The Herbst Appliance has been proven to be effective on chronic snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea sufferers.    This appliance allows patients to move laterally and vertically without disengaging the appliance.    Also, if it is determined that the initial position does not provide the anticipated relief of the condition, the mandible can easily be moved forward by two options of adjustability.

The optimal dental sleep appliance

There are a multitude of different custom-made dental sleep appliances, all with different designs, that have good scientific studies proving effectiveness and comfort.    There is no one appliance that is suitable for each and every person.    The choice of an optimal appliance for an individual will depend on many factors including the number of teeth, the width of the dental arches of the palate and lower jaw, the degree of jaw protrusion, the size of the tongue, and the age of the patient.    It is important that dentists have a range of the new generation appliances that are available, in order to fit your individual needs.

The importance of an experienced and trained dentist

According to a recent survey only four percent of dentists regularly provide dental sleep appliances for the management of snoring and sleep apnea.    It is important to choose a dentist who is regularly fitting a number of appliances each week.    An experienced and well trained dentist will have the skills to make any adjustments that may be required in order to achieve the best results possible.

Warning- beware “over the counter”, nonprescription, dental devices.

While custom-made dental sleep appliances are proven to be effective, safe and comfortable, “over the counter”, nonprescription, dental devices are now being strongly discouraged by health care professionals.     Studies show they are far less effective than custom-made adjustable sleep appliances and have potential side effects such as tooth movement and jaw joint damage.     These devices are often sold on the internet and are non-adjustable , “one size fits all”.

There are also non-adjustable and adjustable appliances:

An adjustable appliance is far superior because it allows the dentist, and importantly the patient, to slowly bring the lower jaw forward to the ideal most comfortable position that opens the airway.

A non-adjustable appliance makes it a guess to achieve the ideal forward position of the jaw and results in sub optimal outcomes.    While such appliances are still used by some dentists experts in the field are in general agreement that they should have no place in current best practice.