Intraoral Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatments
You’ve learned about obstructive sleep apnea, recognized the symptoms in yourself or your loved one, been diagnosed properly, and are now looking into treatment options. After a little research, you’ll quickly learn that many treatments for obstructive sleep apnea exist. At the Art of Dentistry in Bryn Mawr, PA, Dr. Stephen J. Gershberg DMD offers alternatives to the primary form of obstructive sleep apnea treatment: CPAP.
What Is CPAP?
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP, is one of the primary forms of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The treatment consists of a face mask worn during sleep and a machine that pumps mild air pressure through the mask, keeping the airway open and preventing obstructive sleep apnea episodes.
While CPAP can be an effective obstructive sleep apnea treatment method for some, it also has many downsides. At the Art of Dentistry by Dr. Stephen J. Gershberg, we offer alternatives to the CPAP treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.
Is CPAP Dangerous?
Although the research studies performed remain inconclusive, some suggest that using a CPAP machine to treat obstructive sleep apnea may have adverse effects. In particular, there are many cases in which CPAP titration has resulted in transient central sleep apnea. In effect, research suggests that prolonged use of a CPAP machine can have effects on your brain chemistry.
Whether or not CPAP treatment is dangerous to sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea, many find the CPAP machine annoying, cumbersome, and as potentially disruptive of sleep as obstructive sleep apnea itself. Many patients treated with CPAP report being so uncomfortable wearing the face mask that they don’t, packing it up and suffering from the effects of obstructive sleep apnea just as before.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Alternatives
For those who have tried CPAP and found it wanting, the Art of Dentistry offers oral appliance treatment options that provide an excellent alternative to CPAP.
Intraoral Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
Our obstructive sleep apnea specialists believe that every case of obstructive sleep apnea deserves personalized attention, because everyone’s physiology is unique. After receiving a positive diagnosis for obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Gershberg will determine whether your case is mild, moderat, or severe. Taking into account the size of your oral structures and conformation of your jaw, we’ll select the proper intraoral obstructive sleep apnea treatment appliance for you. We offer a variety of intraoral appliances for sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea, including:
The appliances listed above comprise only a small sample of the many intraoral appliances offered for those with obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Gershberg is committed to remaining on the forefront of obstructive sleep apnea treatment, and will consider many other appliances in the treatment of your case.
How Do Intraoral Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Appliances Work?
Most intraoral obstructive sleep apnea treatment appliances, including the Moses, Respire, and SomnoMed appliances, are considered “mandibular repositioning” devices.
The “mandible” is your lower jaw and, in many cases of obstructive sleep apnea, a sufferer’s mandible sits too far back, closing the airway dangerously. Mandibular repositioning devices ensure that this does not occur, holding the airway open comfortably. But unlike many other mandibular repositioning devices, which force the jaw forward painfully, the new generation of obstructive sleep apnea treatment appliances offered at the Art of Dentistry have a second feature that allows for a more conservative, painless type of mandibular repositioning.
The Moses, SomnoMed, and Respire appliances consist of two devices, one for the upper teeth and another for the lower. This “open anterior design” clears space for the tongue and harnesses a subconscious reflex that guides the tongue forward, ensuring that it does not block the airway. Because the tongue is comfortably out of the way, we need not force the mandible forward painfully to create a clear pathway for air.
Contact Our Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment Specialists
The obstructive sleep apnea specialists in Bryn Mawr, PA at the Art of Dentistry by Dr. Stephen J. Gershberg are dedicated to finding the right intraoral appliance treatment for you! To assure your comfort, your obstructive sleep apnea treatment appliance will be custom fit to your smile, ensuring that you sleep easily for years to come. You’ll be amazed by what a good night’s rest can do for your health and happiness!
Sleep apnea is dangerous, but you don’t need to suffer anymore! Contact Dr. Stephen J. Gershberg DMD at the Art of Dentistry to begin reviewing your options.
