“Second hand” snoring is a real pain with consequences.
The definition of apnea: “without breath” …it means you stop breathing in your sleep!
In severe, untreated, sleep apnea, increased odds of DEATH from any cause.
Oral Appliances are devices used to treat a medical condition. They are considered Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and require a prescription from a medical doctor.
Here are several examples of oral appliances.
By bringing the lower jaw, tongue, palate and uvula forward. They improve muscle tone making the airway less likely to collapse.
Below are views of a compromised airway and one with an oral appliance solution in place. Just click to look at a larger image.
No one design fits all because some people have larger tongues, stronger bites, smaller teeth, other dental issues, and no teeth. These and other factors influence the selection of a particular appliance.
“Boil and bite” appliances purchased in a store or on the internet may help a small number of people for a short time. They may be useful as a trial appliance temporarily when a custom fit appliance needs to be sent to the laboratory for adjustment or repair.
They tend to not stay in the mouth very well and are not made as strong as custom appliances.
In a research study, over the counter appliances have been shown to be less comfortable and less effective than custom appliances. If they don’t work well a person may feel discouraged and believe that all oral appliances are no good. This would be a disservice to people who are really suffering and really may need this valuable treatment option.
The following questionnaires will help you determine if you have an increased risk for obstructive sleep apnea. A diagnosis can only be made by a doctor who is a sleep specialist.
How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in contrast to feeling just tired? This refers to your usual way of life in recent times.
Even if you have not done some of these things recently try to work out how they would have affected you. Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation:
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A simple, eight-item questionnaire may be an effective way to identify patients at risk for postoperative complications because of hidden obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, researchers found.
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