Many people suffer with the common yet severe disorder known as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is the condition whereby a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep.
Though it may just sleep briefly, the interruption occurs hundreds of times in one night and deprives the body and brain of enough oxygen.
Come along as we go over the causes and symptoms of sleep apnea and weigh two treatments—CPAP against oral appliances. We will ultimately go over why we advise an oral appliance instead of a CPAP machine.
Why does one develop sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), resulting from an obstruction of the airway, is the most often occurring kind of sleep apnea. Usually, this blockage stems from soft tissue at the back of the throat compressing during sleep.
How do you treat or correct your sleep apnea?
You will have to decide between CPAP and oral appliances after you obtain a sleep apnea diagnosis.
Using CPAP to Treat Sleep Apnea
Constant Positive Airway Pressure is CPAP. Using a machine, CPAP treatment raises the air pressure in your throat such that it won’t collapse during sleep. The machine is linked to a mask; you have to wear it all night.
CPAP’s advantages are:
- CPAP treatment helps to reduce sleep apnea rather effectively.
- Correct CPAP users report improved sleep and reduced fatigue.
- Correctly using CPAP helps patients have better blood pressure and healthier hearts.
CPAP’s shortcomings include:
- It is large and heavy, which makes transportation challenging; it generates noise all night and needs electricity to run.
- Particularly when first used, can be somewhat unpleasant.
- You cannot drink or talk once you start wearing it.
- Although CPAP works, we find that many patients do not regularly or correctly utilize it since it is bulky and inconvenient.
- Research shows, in reality, only half of CPAP users use it every night.
If your CPAP isn’t working, we advise you to discuss oral appliance therapy or adjusting your CPAP with your doctor.
Managing sleep apnea with an oral appliance
Patients wear this appliance during sleep that resembles a mouth guard or orthodontic retainer. This device moves the jaw forward to assist in preserving an open upper airway during sleep. Studies and time have shown that this is a good course of therapy for obstructive sleep apnea and snoring.
Oral Appliance Therapy’s advantages are:
- It helps rather well in avoiding sleep apnea.
- It’s little and easy to carry; even it fits in your pocket.
- It does not call for electricity.
- Wearing it lets you speak and drink comfortably and lets you
- Using it consistently is simple.
Oral appliance treatment has certain drawbacks.
It doesn’t always apply for extreme sleep apnea.
It could cause a sore jaw, but generally your dentist can treat this.
Oral appliance therapy offers, as you can see, a significantly more pleasant and practical approach for treating sleep apnea. We thus highly advise it for patients trying to enhance their sleep. It should come first in defense.
Although you can buy appliances online, they are not tailored for your needs, so they do not operate. Our aim is to bring back your nightly sleep sessions. Imagine the changes in life when one feels rested!