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Some sleep apnea oral appliances work by changing the position of your lower jaw, the soft palate in your mouth, or your tongue. Some of them can also help you stop snoring. If you are having problems with CPAP and are thinking about getting one of these devices, we recommend you come to The Medical Center Dental Group to talk to a dentist about which one is best for you.
Thornton Adjustable Positioner (TAP)
The TAP™ sleep apnea oral appliance is based on the same principle as CPR. It uses a device to pull the lower mandible forward and keeps the trachea open. You can adjust it yourself for maximum comfort and effectiveness.
SomnoMed MAS
This custom-made sleep apnea oral appliance is made of upper and lower dental plates that allow you to open and close your mouth normally. You can speak clearly. You can drink water, juice, or milk at midnight. You can even yawn when wearing the SomnoMed MAS.
Herbst Telescopic Appliance
This oral appliance for OSA has also been proven to reduce chronic snoring in mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea sufferers. You can adjust the lower mandible to create maximum comfort and effectiveness.
Clasp Retained Mandibular Positioner
This oral appliance for sleep apnea and snoring uses a series of clasps to positively lock the mandible into the device. As a single-piece appliance, it allows you to adjust its height.
Elastomeric Sleep Appliance
This device is manufactured out of a very pliable and soft silicone material. It is tooth retained; having no clasps or wires to adjust. It is exceptionally comfortable.
Sleep Apnea Goldilocks Appliance (SAGA)
The SAGA is made out of a hard acrylic shell that is laminated with a soft vinyl liner. Two posterior arches hold the mandible in an open, protrusive position.
OSAP
This custom-made oral appliance can be manufactured with or without an oral air passage. You can have a semi-universal trial version made for you if you do not want impressions of your teeth taken just yet. This is the best way to go if you have any questions about your ability to tolerate an oral appliance for sleep apnea.
Nocturnal Airway Patency Appliance (NAPA)
The NAPA is made from rigid acrylic and held to the teeth by Adams clasps. It is a non-adjustable appliance that allows you to breathe through the mouth if need be.
Adjustable PM Positioner
This oral appliance covers all of your maxillary and mandibular teeth. Your dentist makes it out of special acrylic material that is softened under hot water then molded to your teeth for maximum fit and retention. There are no metal claps on this device, but there are expansion screws on the sides that allow you to adjust it.
APM Ultra
This is the next generation in oral appliances for sleep apnea. It combines a number of design features that increase comfort, acceptance, and effectiveness. These include clasp fee, acrylic projection retention, anterior openings for mouth breathing, freedom to move your jaws, and smaller overall size to allow for greater tongue space.
Hilsen Adjustable Positioning Appliance
Made of maxillary and mandibular full arch thermoplastic bases, the Hilsen has Velcro-like attachments that hold to the teeth by friction. You can adjust it yourself, or you can have your dentist adjust it for you.
Klearway Oral Appliance
This fully-adjustable oral appliance can be used to treat your snoring and your OSA. One of the best things about it is it does not encroach on tongue space. Its capability of lateral and vertical movement allows you to yawn, swallow, and drink without dislodging it.
OASYS
This is the first oral device that has ever been approved by both the Dental Division and the Ear Nose and Throat divisions of the FDA. It works for both snoring and sleep apnea using mandibular repositioning. It also improves nasal breathing by acting as a nasal dilator for reduction of nasal resistance.
Elastic Mandibular Advancement Appliance (EMA)
This custom-made, non-invasive, and very simple, oral appliance uses of interchangeable elastic straps that to create varying degrees of mandibular advancement. These elastic straps provide excellent lateral movement and overall TMJ comfort.
NORAD Appliance
This is a mandibular repositioning device that is right beside you in the dentist chair. It is used to treat both snoring and sleep apnea by repositioning the lower jaw downward and slightly forward.
SomnoGuard AP®
This unique mandibular advancement device helps snoring and moderate sleep apnea. It allows for lateral movement of your jaw and unlimited adjustable protrusion. SomnoGuard® AP has an upper lower tray that are first heated in water, then molded to your teeth and jaws while you are in the dental chair.
Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, sleep apnea dental device, sleep apnea oral appliance
The Thornton Adjustable Positioner® (TAP®) is sleep apnea oral device that is used to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA. It has proven to be very effective, and it has given many people relief from some of the more notable problems associated with CPAP. It resembles a sports mouth guard, only it is worn by the patient while asleep.
The TAP® holds the mandible forward while the patient sleeps. This keeps the tongue and throat tissues from constricting the air passage. The idea for this device actually came from CPR, which was developed as a method of keeping the trachea of an unconscious person open.
The Thornton Adjustable Positioner® has two trays that are held together by a hook attached to a lower tray socket. This hook pushes the lower jaw forward and prevents soft throat tissue from collapsing and blocking the trachea.
Patients can adjust the device in order to alter the degree to which the lower jaw is pulled forward.
This allows them to actively participate in their own treatment, and it is the one key feature of the (TAP®) that makes so many patients prefer it over other sleep apnea oral appliances. Busy professionals do not have to take time off from work to go have the advice adjusted by the dentist—they can do it themselves.
The TAP® sleep apnea oral appliance is made from medical grade stainless steel- nickel alloy. For patients who are allergic to nickel, the Thornton Adjustable Positioner® is also available in a TAP® Nickel-Free model that is exceptionally bio-friendly to patients with sensitive mouths.
The TAP® sleep apnea oral appliance is made from a thermoplastic orthodontic polycarbonate material. It is then lined with one of two very comfortable materials. The first material is known as ThermAcryl™--a unique polymer softens when heated and shapes to the contour of the patient’s teeth. It can be easily reheated and realigned to match changes in patient dentition that might occur over time.
Another material, often considered even more comfortable to wear, is Triple Laminate (TL). It is made from a soft and flexible dual laminate that seats around the teeth, relying on suction to create a firm grip.
To be fitted for a Thornton Adjustable Positioner®, just call our office and schedule an appointment. Most insurance plans will pay for your sleep apnea oral appliance, but even if yours does not, we have a number of financing options you can consider.Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, sleep apnea, sleep apnea dental device, sleep apnea oral appliance
Although it does not cure sleep apnea, sleep experts typically recommend CPAP as the best treatment for OSA. The device itself is based on a simple design--consisting of a mask, a tube, and a fan. It is set to predetermined air pressure specifically prescribed for the patient. This continuous pressure keeps the air passageways open while the patient is asleep. While this may sound like the ideal solution to OSA, there are a number of CPAP problems that many patients feel make the device simply too difficult for them to use.
The mask on the CPAP machine can irritate the nose and face.
CPAP masks are deliberately designed for a tight fit. This is necessary to maintain the pressure needed for effective operation. However, it can irritate the skin around the mouth in the process. Of all the CPAP problems that our reported to our office, this is probably the one we hear about the most. Some patients try to solve this by changing to a different sized mask. Others try nasal pillows that fit into the nostrils and alleviate pressure on the bridge of the nose. Doctors sometimes tell patients to alternate between the mask and nasal pillows to get maximum relief.
Another CPAP problem is the pressure produced by the machine itself.
A lot of patients simply find it to be disturbing and uncomfortable. Many have difficulty falling asleep as a result. Sometimes, adjusting the machine to start off with a low pressure and then gradually increasing the pressure will bring some relief. For other people, though, any pressure at all is too much pressure, period, because it impedes their ability to exhale. In these cases, sleep apnea specialists may try prescribing a bi-level positive airway machine to reduce air pressure when the patient breathes out.
Some CPAP problems are psychological in nature.
Claustrophobic individuals will sometimes feel smothered by the CPAP mask. They may attempt wearing it for a while, but they take it off as soon as the anxiety strikes. The CPAP machine usually ends up in the closet after this. While such a problem lies completely within the mind, it is nonetheless very real to the person, and very serious. Some people can overcome their fears gradually by using the unit a little bit each night and in the early morning hours (when most apneic events occur).
Severe discomfort and occasional pain are less frequent, but nonetheless severe CPAP problems.
CPAP specialists do everything they can to make these devices as comfortable as possible for their patients. Unfortunately, some people simply cannot wear them. Everyone has different facial features that are unique. Some simply cannot accommodate a mask. People with significant weight problems and people with very short, thick necks commonly report that their CPAP machines are painful to wear.
One solution to these problems may be bariatric surgery (for weight loss) or nasal surgery. As a general rule, though, we recommend surgery only as a last resort because of the increasing availability of so many different FDA-approved sleep apnea oral appliances. If you are among those suffering from CPAP problems, consider the benefits of treating your obstructive sleep apnea with a proven, tested dental device custom made in our office just for you.Labels: CPAP, obstructive sleep apnea, sleep disorders, SomnoDent MAS
The SomnoDent® MAS is a sleep apnea dental appliance that a series of rigorous clinical trials have proven to be a comfortable and safe alternative CPAP treatment. Several key design features, advantages, and benefits allow this sleep apnea dental appliance to function much more effectively than typical, traditional mouth guards.
One key feature of SomnoDent® MAS is its streamlined design that makes it one of the few devices of its kind that can be worn by people with a strong gag reflex. It fits both the upper and lower arches of the jaw equally, and it has been engineered to make both anterior and posterior contact with key areas in the mouth. Occlusion is therefore more stable, and tooth movement is minimized.
The SomnoDent® MAS can minimize the tempero-mandibular joint discomfort that is often caused by other night guards. It has also consistently proven itself to be a strong preventative of Bruxism.
This sleep apnea dental device is actually composed of two separate pieces so that it will be easier for people to open and close their mouths. Patients are able to yawn, speak understandably, and drink while wearing their nightguard.
The SomnoDent® MAS sleep apnea dental device can also be worn without causing excessive salivation. Other night guards often trigger this because of a piece that holds them to the front teeth. However, the MAS fits so seamlessly into the upper and lower arches that it requires no secondary attachment mechanism, so the side effects caused by other dental devices which include dry mouth, dribbling, and undo salivation are absent with the SomnoDent.
Another benefit that this extraordinary, comfortable fit offers the patient is an exceptionally high level of retention. Seldom, if ever, does a SomnoDent® MAS ever fall out of the mouth of a patient. It can, however, be conveniently removed and titrated, cleaned, and disinfected just like any other sleep apnea dental device. Its acrylic construction makes it difficult to damage, and even if it is damaged, repairs and adjustments are easy to make.
When the dentist issues your SomnoDent sleep apnea dental device, he or she adjusts it to fit the optimal protrusion position of your mouth. This ensures the most effective and comfortable treatment possible. Adjusting the device is also easy, because it is made to fit each the optimal protrusion position of each and every patient in order to find which setting provides the most effective and comfortable treatment. We at the Cosmetic Dentistry Center of Houston have made it a point to make the SomnoDent® MAS a key option to patients who suffer from sleep apnea and who feel that CPAP treatment simply is not an option for them.Labels: CPAP, obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a serious condition characterized by the sudden cessation of breathing during sleep. Breathing can stop for as long as 10 seconds at a time, and can occur as often as 30 times per hour. The more often this occurs, the more the brain is deprived of oxygen.
There are two major forms of sleep apnea: central sleep apnea (CSA), and obstructive sleep apnea, (OSA). CSA originates in the brain and is characterized by neurological failure to send the signal to the throat muscles to breath. This is a more rare form of the disorder that occurs primarily in children whose brains have not yet fully developed. In adults, it can be triggered by head injuries, neuromuscular disorders, and sometimes by medications prescribed for other conditions.
The more common form of the disorder is Obstructive sleep apnea. OSA is caused by throat muscles collapsing onto themselves due to excessive relaxation, obesity, or side effects caused by smoking or drinking too much. OSA affects 17% of the male and female middle-aged populations, but few of these people ever realize they have the disorder because it is so difficult to self-diagnose. Persons who suffer from any of the above symptoms should call their doctor and ask to be referred to a diagnostic sleep center. Here, they can stay the night under close observation and be diagnosed properly by trained experts who know how to spot the disorder and calculate its level of severity.
If the person does indeed have sleep apnea, the doctor will then prescribe a treatment plan. The most common method of treatment is the use of a CPAP machine that helps a patient breathe during the night. The machine pushes compressed air through a mask that fits over the face, putting just enough force on the windpipe to keep it open. The CPAP machine must be set to a precise level of compression to get the right amount of air into the passageway. While this can easily be done by the doctor, many people find the mask too uncomfortable to wear. This has resulted in a very high level of non-compliance with the treatment, even though it has been proven to be highly effective. Some people just let the machine sit idle beside their bed. Others wind up storing it in the closet to gather dust and go back to snoring all night and being tired all day long. This is not a good thing to do, because it can lead to respiratory and craniological problems later in life if left untreated.
There is hope for these people, however. New dental technology has emerged that has provided an alternative to CPAP therapy in the form of a sleep apnea dental appliance. This is basically a special mouth guard made custom to the upper and lower jaws of the individual. It keeps the lower jaw extended just enough to prevent the trachea from closing in on itself, and allows normal breathing to occur without the aid of a machine. More information on sleep apnea is available through the following links:
Sleep Apnea
Orthognathic Surgery
Polysomnography
Upper Airway Resistance
Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance
The Medical Center Dental Group is happy to announce the inclusion of the SomnoDent MAS in our repertoire of sleep apnea treatment options. We typically make 3-4 of these per months for people who come to us frustrated with CPAP therapy. If you are currently neglecting your treatment plan but know that you should be doing something proactive about your sleep apnea, call us for a fitting and let us get you started on the road to relief and recovery.
Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, sleep disorders, SomnoDent MAS
Sleep apnea is a condition which causes a person to quit breathing. These cessations in breathing, called apneas, can be as short as a few seconds or as long as several minutes. A patient can have anywhere from 5 to 30 apneas in an hour, depending on the type and severity of his or her condition.
Sleep apnea affects both men and women, primarily over the age of 40. However, younger people, and even children, can have it too. It is estimated that sleep apnea is as prevalent as adult diabetes, but many people who suffer from it do not know they have it. There is a great deal of sleep apnea information now available on the Internet, but widespread media coverage is lacking, and many people still know little, if anything, about the disorder.
Sleep apnea is serious, and can even have life threatening consequences. Studies have linked it to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, irregular heartbeat, and a greater chance of stroke or heart attack.
There are three types of sleep apnea-obstructive, central, and complex. Obstructive is the most common type. It is caused by throat muscles collapsing and blocking air passageways. Central sleep apnea is rarer, and has to do with neurons in the brain not signaling the body to breathe. Complex sleep apnea is the rarest form, and is a mixture of OSA and CSA.
Sleep apnea symptoms include daytime fatigue, loud snoring and waking up several times throughout the night. Based on these symptoms alone, self-diagnosis is very difficult. A person who suspects he or she has sleep apnea needs to rely on more than information gathered through online research. She or he needs to see a doctor or a dentist for a conclusive, professional diagnosis. Only then can treatment options be explored.
Treatment varies according to the type of sleep apnea and its severity. Surgery is normally used for the most severe cases. Other treatments in include CPAP therapy and a sleep apnea oral appliance. Oral appliances are custom made by dentists and are designed to keep throat passageways open and help natural breathing occur. The Cosmetic Dentistry Center makes these devices and provides them to many sleep apnea patients who have tried CPAP, but find wearing a mask and being hooked up to a machine too much to deal with when they are trying to sleep.Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea Symptoms Sleep Apnea Information Causes of Sleep ApneaCall our office if you think you might have sleep apnea and schedul an appointment for an evaluation of your condition.Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, sleep apnea, sleep disorders, SomnoDent MAS
It is hard for many people to sleep well at night. Many times, a person will wake up and not be able to go back to sleep. This is often a good indication that a sleep disorder of some kind is present. There are other symptoms as well that include snoring loudly, and being drowsy all day long even after 8 hours or more of sleep. Self-diagnosis of these conditions is very hard to make because there are so many different sleep disorders that it is necessary to seek professional help.
Sleep disorders that are most common in American adults include restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy. Restless leg syndrome makes a person feel like they must constantly move their legs because they are itching, or because they feel like something is crawling on their flesh. Narcolepsy is based on a feeling of intense lethargy that plagues the individual throughout the day. It can make driving and operating machinery dangerous and also cause an overall drop in productivity. Both narcolepsy and insomnia can often be successfully managed with the right M.D. treatment plan and prescription medication.
Insomnia is not always the culprit, however. Sometimes people who grid their teeth at night (a condition known as Bruxism) go to dentist seeking treatment for what they think is a side effect of insomnia. During the course of the examination, the dentist discovers that the person is actually suffering from an entirely different sleep disorder—sleep apnea.
This condition is characterized by loud snoring and waking up suddenly throughout the night. While this resembles the restlessness of insomnia, it is generated by an entirely different root cause. The most common form of this sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, occurs when throat muscles collapse upon the airway. Dentists can do a great deal to help a patient with sleep apnea by treating the condition with a sleep apnea oral appliance. Such a device puts tension on the lower jaw and keeps the air passageway open enough for normal breathing to occur.
Severe OSA may require surgery to treat. Other remedies such as RFTA may need to be performed. The most common non-surgical remedy is a CPAP machine which pushes compressed air into the throat to maintain regular breathing. Most patients who use a sleep apnea oral appliance do so because they previously tried CPAP and found it uncomfortable.
Related Articles on Our Website:
Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea Information
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Do not neglect talking to a doctor or dentist if you think you may have a sleep disorder. Some of the more severe syndromes can develop into life-threatening conditions. Call our office and make an appointment to get on the road to recovery with a sound and affordable treatment plan.Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, sleep apnea, sleep disorders
 Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of the three forms of sleep apnea. Apnea, in Greek, literally means without breath. OSA can strike anyone, but the most frequent suffers are individuals between the ages of 45-65. It is caused by an obstruction in the air passageway. The throat consists of very soft tissue that can collapse when the body is relaxed during sleep. Obesity in the throat area can often be a contributing factor here because of the increased pressure on the trachea. Many people who suffer from this condition due struggle with weight problems, although this is not universal, and there is no absolute proof that obesity alone is the ultimate cause of the disorder.The most common type of sleep apnea is known as obstructive sleep apnea, so named for the obstruction of the air passage that causes a temporary cessation of breathing. The soft tissues in the throat become too relaxed and collapse, obstructing the flow of air. This is often due to obesity in the patient, although not all sufferers of the disorder are obese per se. Most people who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea are 45-65 years of age, with many of them experiencing symptoms for many years before they realize that they have OSA.There are several symptoms of OSA, some occurring during daylight hours, and others occurring at night. The most noticeable daytime symptom is excessive drowsiness. No matter how long the person sleeps, he or she never feels truly rested in the morning, and may experience an impairment of motor skills on top of a general feeling of lethargy. The person may also be highly irritable at times, and experience wild swings in mood. Nighttime symptoms include loud snoring, restless sleep, and waking up at odd hours. Many people dismiss the drowsiness they are feeling as being the result of stress or overexertion. Other symptoms such as waking up at weird hours, or snoring very loudly, may not be consistent enough to warrant attention. Few immediately suspect they have obstructive sleep apnea until they mention one or more of the symptoms to a doctor, who then recommends they get tested for the disorder at a special sleep disorder test center. Centers like this specialize in diagnosing the type of sleep apnea a person has, and the severity of the condition. Severe obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by more than 30 missed breaths per hour. Moderate OSA is characterized by anywhere from 15 to 30 breaths being missed, and mild cases are characterized by 5-15 missed breaths.The most common treatment prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea is the use of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, or CPAP, machine. This machine has a mask that covers and seals the mouth and nose of the patient, blowing compressed air into the airway and keeping it open. It is a highly effective device, but has its drawbacks for many patients who find the mask too uncomfortable. New alternatives to CPAP are being developed that offer more comfortable treatment options for people suffering from mild and moderate cases of OSA.One of these options is a new device known as the SomnoDent MAS. ™ This device works like a mouth guard, fitting over the upper and lower teeth and pushing the lower jaw forward just enough to put tension on the trachea. This tension in turn keeps the airway open and allows the patient to breathe normally. This device is comfortable, discreet, and custom-made to the mouth of the patient. It has been clinically proven to work just as well as CPAP in all but the more severe cases of the disorder. For more information on this exciting new treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, visit our main website for more information available through the following links:Sleep DisordersSleep Apnea Treatment OptionsSleep Apnea Oral AppliancesObstructive Sleep Apnea SurgeryIf you think you might have sleep apnea, call our office toll free at 1-888-790-0309 for a referral to a sleep disorder test center. We are located in the Medical Center in Houston, TX and work with patients from all over the Houston area, including The Woodlands, Magnolia, Conroe, Spring, and Tomball. Labels: obstructive sleep apnea, sleep apnea, SomnoDent MAS
 Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes a person to intermittently stop breathing while asleep. Consequences of the disorder can range from the mild to the severe, depending on the severity and type of sleep apnea the person suffers from. Symptoms of the disorder can range from loud snoring, restless sleep, chronic daytime fatigue (even after several hours of sleep), heart trouble, and possible stroke. When a person experiences one or more of these symptoms and expects that he or she has the syndrome, it is vitally important to seek out a medical diagnosis and treatment.
The word apnea literally means without breath, and refers to the cessation of breathing that characterizes the disorder. Periods of cessation can last as long as 10 seconds. This deprives the brain of oxygen and accounts for much of the feeling of fatigue patients experience during waking hours.
There are two types of sleep apnea: central, and obstructive. The word apnea literally means without breath. Central sleep apnea originates in the brain. It is caused by a failure to send the necessary signal to the muscles responsible for breathing. A number of causes can account for this, including underdeveloped neurons in children with the CSA, and side effects of certain medications. Seizures, neuromuscular disorders, and head injuries can also cause CSA.
Obstructive sleep apnea originates in the trachea. Due to any number of factors ranging from age to obesity, the throat muscles can collapse the breathing passage temporarily and obstruct airflow. OSA is prevalent among 17% of the male and female middle-aged populations. Some studies have linked its occurrence to smoking and alcohol use as well. This linkage, combined with the fact that obstructed airflow can further complicate heart problems and the possibility of stroke, means that OSA should be taken seriously and proactively treated with the best possible care.
Both central and obstructive sleep apnea can be treated effectively, allowing the patient to experience a good night’s rest and a productive work day during waking hours. Consistency is the key to managing the disorder. Some patients find certain treatment options more comfortable than others, and are more likely to be compliant with treatments they are comfortable with.
One treatment that dentists and doctors prescribe to sleep apnea patients is a CPAP machine. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. The CPAP machine has a mask which the dentists fit to the patient’s face. The machine is custom-set to the level of pressure the individual needs to keep the airway open. During the night, the CPAP device regulates the flow of air into the trachea, preventing it from collapsing, and keeping the flow of oxygen to the brain constant.
Some people, however, do not like wearing a CPAP mask. They find it cumbersome, painful, and often complain that when they first wake up in the morning, it is difficult to start breathing on their own again. So long as the patient is suffering from only mild or moderate sleep apnea, an alternative treatment method exists that can produce the same results as a CPAP machine. This device is the SomnoDent MAS. ™ This oral device is custom-made by the dentist to fit over the upper and lower jaws of the patient like a mouth guard. Its special design forces the lower jaw just ever so slightly forward. This creates enough tension in the throat muscles to prevent collapse, and normal breathing is able to occur.To read more information on sleep apnea, visit the following links.Obstructive Sleep ApneaSleep Apnea InformationCauses of Sleep ApneaSleep Apnea InformationSleep Apnea SymptomsCall the Cosmetic Dentistry Center today at 713.795.5905 to get more information on SomonoDent MAS (TM) . See if this exciting new treatment is what you need to sleep better, and breathe better.Labels: CPAP, mouth guard, obstructive sleep apnea, sleep apnea, SomnoDent MAS
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