Offer Your Patients Relief From Sleep Apnea With Fitted Oral Appliance

According to the National Sleep Foundation, over 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, a condition that causes interrupted breathing during sleep. Those with sleep apnea may wake up hundreds of times a night when their airway becomes obstructed. As a result, they spend little time in deep, restorative sleep and often feel tired and drained during the day.

Most doctors first suggest continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for sleep apnea patients, but this treatment requires the patient to strap a sleep pressure mask over their nose before sleep. Many patients have trouble sleeping with the mask or don’t like the feel of the straps on their face. A second and well-regarded treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea is oral appliance therapy (OAT). This is a small, plastic device kind of looks like the mouth guards football players use.

An OAT gently pushes the jaw forward. Even this small adjustment helps keep a sleeper’s airway open, allowing them to get a good night’s sleep. Dentists, you can make a difference in the lives of patients with sleep apnea by offering oral appliance therapy to anyone who may be struggling with CPAP. Each OAT must be custom designed and fitted for a patient’s mouth. With a little training and a connection to a superb dental laboratory, you can improve the lives of your patients and add another revenue stream to your practice.

Contact Space Maintainers Laboratories to find a qualified OAT lab near your practice.