Sleep Apnea Mouth Guard in Tucson, AZ

According to the American Sleep Association, more than 22 million Americans have sleep apnea, both diagnosed and undiagnosed.

Sleep apnea is a condition where the upper airway collapses during sleep. People with sleep apnea breathe shallow or even stop breathing during sleep. One of the most effective and non-invasive treatment options used to treat sleep apnea is the sleep apnea mouthguard.

Although a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine is the widely accepted treatment for sleep apnea, not all patients tolerate it. People experience claustrophobia, dry nasal passages, skin irritation, to name a few. A mouthguard can be an efficient and practical alternative to CPAP.

Sleep Apnea mouthguards can either be:

• Mandibular Advancement Device: Otherwise called MADs, the oral appliance resembles the mouth guard used in sports. These dental appliances help prevent the tongue from blocking the throat by bringing the lower jaw forward.
• Tongue Retaining Device: Tongue retaining mouthpieces maintain the tongue in a forward position, increasing the gap between the tongue and the back of the throat.

The over the counter substitutes include a stock mouthguard and boil-and-bite mouthguard, which are primarily one-size-fits-all options. These devices are not well fitting and can cause long term complications.

Mandibular Advancement devices are essentially two pieces that fit your upper and lower teeth with a connecting component that connects both. The hinges allow you to control the degree of advancement. MAD works by shifting the lower jaw forward, thereby preventing the jaw from blocking the upper airway while allowing for easy breathing.

The tongue retaining mouthguard is similar to the MADs. Additionally, it has a small compartment that sucks the tongue keeping it in position to retain the airway open. These dental devices are generally used in patients whose jaws cannot be repositioned.

Oral devices may provide some measure of relief to people suffering from mild sleep apnea. When used consistently and under the guidance of a dentist, most patients see an improvement in sleep quality. Since they are easy to use, oral appliances have a much better compliance ratio than other treatment options.

The benefits of mouthguards include:

• Much more comfortable than other treatment such as CPAP therapy
• An inexpensive and popular alternative for CPAP
• Improve the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, including snoring, teeth grinding and clenching, excessive daytime sleepiness, dry mouth, etc.
• Works without electricity. Therefore easier and cheaper to use
• Compact, portable, and hence travel-friendly