No More "One Size Fits All": Sleep Appliance Therapy

There are easily more than a hundred dental sleep appliances on the market today. All of them are different --some in ways more subtle than others – but different nonetheless.

And that number is growing, bringing us better designs that include modifications on current appliances and totally new appliances, as well.

Now take into account that every patient is unique – each with their own “dental landscape” to be navigated. One may have periodontal issues, another may be partially edentulous and yet another may be a severe bruxer. Thus, finding the ideal sleep appliance to treat your patient is not and has never been a matter of “one size fits all.”

So how do you know which sleep appliance is the right one for any given patient?

Almost all of us start by using one appliance. Whatever…

the reason, whether your friend or colleague recommended it or you read about it in an article or you went to your first sleep class and that’s the appliance they taught…chances are you start with that one. Even if you’re lucky and your “one-appliance armamentarium” ends up being the perfect choice for most of your sleep patients, you’ll still need to learn how to meet the basic criteria for helping your lab provide you with a workable functioning appliance.  

You’ll need to know how to take a proper construction bite and/or impression for the appliance in question. You’ll need to determine what your starting point is for securing the construction bite. Is it an end-to-end bite? Is it made at a point that captures a position that is 50%-70% of the maximum slide from centric relation to the most protrusive position?