FDA-Approved Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances-ARTICLE

An FDA-approved sleep apnea oral appliance is often the best alternative to CPAP.  Worn like a mouth guard or orthodontic device, it keeps the soft tissues of the throat from collapsing and interrupting normal breathing.  Some oral appliances work by changing the position of the lower jaw, soft palate, or tongue, and many also are very effective for eliminating snoring.  We recommend you consult with a dental expert to see which of these devices will work best for treating your particular case of sleep apnea. 

Thornton Adjustable Positioner (TAP)

This sleep apnea dental oral appliance uses the principle of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to keep the airway open.  It uses a device to pull the lower jaw forward, keeping the throat passageways open for oxygen.  The TAP device can be adjusted by patients through with an adjustment key.

SomnoMed MAS

This is a custom-made sleep apnea dental oral appliance.  It is made of upper and lower dental plates that allow the mouth to open and close normally.  People can speak clearly, drink, and even yawn when wearing the SomnoMed MAS. 

Herbst Telescopic Appliance

This oral appliance for obstructive sleep apnea has proven its ability to reduce chronic snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea sufferers.   The lower mandible is adjustable to allow for maximum comfort and effectiveness.

Clasp Retained Mandibular Positioner

This oral appliance for sleep apnea and snoring relies on a series of clasps to positively lock the mandible into the device.  As a single-piece appliance, it allows the patient to adjust the height of the appliance.

Elastomeric Sleep Appliance

This dental device is made from very pliable soft, custom-injected silicone.  It is tooth retained, and it has no clasps or wires to adjust. It is known for the high level of patient comfort it provides.

Sleep Apnea Goldilocks Appliance (SAGA)

The SAGA is made from a hard acrylic shell laminated with a soft vinyl liner. Two arches connected in the posterior hold the mandible in a protrusive and open position.

OSAP

This is a custom made oral appliance that can be manufactured with or without an oral air passage.  A ready-made, semi-universal trial version can be obtained for sleep apnea patients that do not want to have their impressions taken.  When tolerance of dental devices is in question, this is the best and most inexpensive way to test a particular patients' tolerance to oral therapy.

Nocturnal Airway Patency Appliance (NAPA)

The Nocturnal Airway Patency Appliance (NAPA) is made from rigid acrylic and is tooth retained by Adam's clasps.  This is a non-adjustable appliance with a breathing beak that allows the patient to breathe through the mouth when necessary. 

Adjustable PM Positioner

The Adjustable PM Positioner has been proven to successfully treat 77% of patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea.  This oral appliance covers all maxillary and mandibular teeth.  It is made of a special acrylic material that softens under hot water, allowing it to be molded to the teeth for maximum retention and fit.  Expansion screws on the sides allow for adjustment for optimal effectiveness and jaw comfort.  There are no metal clasps on this appliance. 

APM Ultra

The APM Ultra represents the next generation in oral appliances for sleep apnea.  It incorporates a number of design features that increase patient comfort and acceptance in addition to effectiveness. These features include clasp fee, acrylic projection retention, anterior opening for breathing through the mouth, freedom of jaw movement, and smaller overall size to allow for greater tongue space. 

Hilsen Adjustable Positioning Appliance

The device is made of maxillary and mandibular full arch thermoplastic bases with Velcro-like attachments that retain to the teeth by friction.  It can be easily adjusted by either the patient or the dentist.

Klearway Oral Appliance

This fully-adjustable oral appliance can be used to treat both snoring and mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea. One of its major benefits is that it does not encroach on tongue space. Once warmed under hot water and inserted, the acrylic resin it is made from hardens as it cools to body temperature and firmly affixes itself to both arches. Lateral and vertical jaw movement allows the patient to yawn, swallow, and drink water without dislodging the appliance.

OASYS

This is the first dental device to be approved by both the Dental and Ear Nose and Throat divisions of the FDA and to be approved as an oral dental appliance effective in the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea.  It works through mandibular repositioning and also improves nasal breathing by acting as a nasal dilator for reduction of nasal resistance.

Elastic Mandibular Advancement Appliance (EMA)

This is a custom-made, non-invasive, and very simple, oral appliance created for treating both snoring and OSA. The primary treatment mechanism of opening the bite and gently moving the mandible forward is achieved with the use of interchangeable elastic straps that offer varying degrees of mandibular advancement. The flexibility of these elastic straps provides unsurpassed lateral movement and overall TMJ comfort. The 2 mm thick pressure formed bases offer orthodontic retention (resulting in no tooth movement) and maximum anterior tongue space because there are no projections in the palate.

NORAD Appliance

This is a mandibular repositioning oral appliance which is fabricated right 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 is very a unique mandibular advancement device used for snoring and moderate sleep apnea treatment.  The SomnoGuard AP allows for lateral movement of the jaw and unlimited adjustable protrusion. SomnoGuard AP consists of an upper and a lower tray each made of two materials. After the oral appliance is heated in a hot water, the dentist can mold it easily to the teeth and jaws right there in the dental chair.

If you are looking to improve your smile without diminishing it with visible orthodontics in the process, please call us at 1-888-790-0309 to schedule an appointment for this highly specialized and technologically advanced alternative to metal braces.