Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnea in Raleigh, NC

Oral appliances for sleep apnea work by shifting the patient’s jaw slightly forward to keep their airway open while asleep. Moving your jaw forward prevents your tongue and tissues from falling into the back of the throat and blocking the airway. This helps the patient get more oxygen and sleep better, waking up feeling energized and refreshed. Please contact our friendly front office team to learn more about our services or schedule your consultation.

What are the benefits of oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea?

Oral appliance therapy offers a variety of benefits. It is a great alternative or combination to CPAP for those with mild sleep apnea or who can’t tolerate or do not use their CPAPs.

Oral appliances are easy to transport
Cleaning sleep apnea appliances is a breeze
No electricity or distilled water required
Can be more comfortable for the patient to wear
Can treat additional problems like bruxism or TMJ

Are oral appliances for sleep apnea terrible for your teeth?

No, but it needs to be made and monitored by a sleep-trained dentist. Side effects, such as bite changes and TMJ pain, can occur. Therefore, getting treated by a properly trained dentist who can make you a custom oral appliance is essential. Some patients are tempted to utilize one-size-fits-all oral devices to treat their sleep apnea or other concern. However, this can cause problems. Our custom oral appliances are designed for you specifically, so they feel much more comfortable to wear, even for hours at a time. When you first begin wearing an oral appliance at night, it may take some getting used to. If your oral device ever feels uncomfortable, please let our team know; we will gladly assess the problem. We will also walk you through crucial post-appliance delivery instructions, timelines, and monitoring that will help minimize any side effects.

Should I get an oral appliance or use a CPAP machine?

The factors that usually matter in this decision are your sleep apnea severity and compliance with therapies. There are many options for the treatment of sleep apnea that most people are unaware of. Some of these include pursuing hybrid treatment, which combines oral appliance and CPAP therapy to provide the patient with the ideal sleep apnea treatment option for their unique situation. Sleep Apnea is a multifaceted disease; treating it at all stages is essential to prevent further damage and predisposition to other chronic diseases.

Sleep Apnea is a chronic medical condition that requires medical doctors and healthcare teams to be involved in this decision as well. At RespAir Sleep, we work closely with your medical doctors and their teams to help you decide which option is best for you. This is an essential part of your sleep apnea treatment, as it requires a team effort, and its treatment is not a one size fits all scenario. Sleep Apnea is also something that will need to be monitored for the rest of your life, and finding a group of people who care about you and can guide you for the long term is essential.

Dr. DeSaix can go over your options with you in detail.

Interested in learning more about oral appliance therapy? We recommend scheduling a virtual or in-person consultation with our office. We’d be happy to help you get started on your journey toward higher-quality sleep!