Sleep apnea is a disorder that can affect anyone and can be triggered by factors such as age or obesity. The sleep disorder causes breathing to stop temporarily due to the blockage of the airway or failure by the brain to trigger respiratory muscles to work. When the airway is blocked, the diaphragm and chest muscles pump harder to open the blocked airway.
Sleep apnea is quite dangerous as it could lead to heart attacks, hypertension, and cardiomyopathy. Therefore, doctors and dentists have come up with solutions to make a patient breathe normally while sleeping. The use of sleep apnea oral appliances is one of the best ways to manage the problem. Here are the benefits that sleep apnea oral appliances offer
They Come in Different Types
You will find different types of apnea oral devices on the market. The most popular oral devices are mandibular advancement devices (MADs), which are prescribed by dentists after diagnosis. The tongue retaining mouth appliances are also commonly used by people with sleep apnea.
MADs usually separate the upper dental arch from the lower one. They also come with hinges that hold the jaws and push the lower jaw forward. The innovative oral devices restrict the throat and pharynx from obstructing the airway and ensure the patient can breathe normally at night.
A tongue retaining device is a good option for people whose jaw cannot be pushed forward for various reasons. Therefore, it applies the same mechanism as MADs, but it has a suction that holds the tongue forward to prevent blockage of the airway.
Your dentist can also customize an appliance based on your needs. Therefore, you should seek the help of a dentist to identify a device that will solve your problem.
They Are Effective
Most people who use these oral appliances attest that their symptoms significantly reduced when they started using them. The symptoms of the disorder are snoring, headaches, sudden gasping, daytime sleepiness, night sweats, poor concentration, and many more. If you experience these symptoms, you should consult your dentist to find out if oral appliances can help solve your problem.
They Are Portable and Convenient
Sleep apnea oral devices are small, and thus you can easily carry them around when traveling. Therefore, if your child has sleep apnea, they can still visit their friends or relatives and spend the night there provided they have the appliances with them.
Dental devices have proved to control the symptoms of sleep apnea. Therefore, if you or your loved one has sleep apnea, you should consider these appliances to manage the symptoms. But you should consult your dentist before you buy the appliance.