dental appliances?

Was watching TV early Saturday morning and a TV show caught my eye. It was an info-tainment program where a local dentist was touting the effectiveness of dental appliances for the treatment of sleep apnea. He referred to the appliance as a "little piece of plastic". He said these devices could only be fitted after a sleep study and prescription from a sleep specialist. Made this dental alternative sound legit. He has a website and his practice obviously focused on apnea patients.

Anyone know if such treatment is effective? If it is, why do sleep specialists (after a sleep study) prescribe xPAP therapy? The TV dentist said he works with HUNDREDS of doctors who give him referrals. I know we have folks on this forum with expertise and I would like to hear their take on this issue. Thanks! wg

CPAP made my sleep quality worse, even when the machine said the mask was tight and other quality measures OK. I went to a dentist and had a dental device made. Yes; it works, but I am looking for the best software to monitor my sleep quailty. I have not yet had a sleep study with the dental device, as requested by my dentist. However, they say that sleep studies can offset the confounding factors of not sleeping well in a strange environment connected to all kinds of wires, but I don't believe that. I want software to monitor myself at home. Any recommendations for smartphone software such as the Snorelab product?

Hi @wiredgeorge. Like other kinds of therapy, dental appliances are effective for some patients. There are many factors to consider such as the severity of the sleep apnea, anatomy of the patient and any existing dental issues. They work by helping to reposition the jaw to create a more open airway, and the appliances tend to be more effective in patients with mild to moderate apnea. CPAP is still considered the "gold standard" for treatment. If you want to explore dental appliances, your sleep physician may be able to refer you to someone he or she has worked with.

I have never spoken to my sleep doc. After my study, the practice just sent a prescription to the equipment company. I know I should have pressed for more information from him but decided to try and figure out what was important to me and since things seem to be working so well, just let it go. One of the sleep doc's recommendations was for me to talk with my PCP about seeing and ENT specialist but at this point I think all issues are resolved and it would be a waste of time. I talk with my PCP about the sleep study she gave a referral for and the results on Dec. 9th. She has already told me she knows little about sleep disorders such as OSi. At some point I would guess a follow up sleep study might be in order as physical conditions change over time.

Regarding oral devices--please check out the forum where there is some good discussion on oral devices for sleep apnea. They vary in effectiveness, but some have been found to be quite effective, and for the right patient, can be a good choice. Regarding software-many of our members really like SleepyHead Software--also discussed in the forum.

Hi @wiredgeorge. If you are happy with your treatment and doing well, then your decisions seems solid to me. If you develop any problems during your treatment, you can certainly reconsider an evaluation by an ENT or sleep physician. Best wishes!