Are Oral Appliances as effective as Nasal CPAP in controlling positional Sleep Apnea?

A study is cited in the current Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine showing equal benefits for positional sleep apnea (apnea that is worse in when sleeping on your back vs sleeping on your side).

Research is exploding regarding the efficacy of oral appliances in treating sleep apnea. Customized, adjustable oral appliances are being shown to be as effective as CPAP in many well-researched studies.

So which treatment is best?

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Does advanced arthritis in the TMJ have to be treated with total joint replacement?

No.

Rheumatoid arthritis isn’t as common in the TM joint as other joints in the body.

Why?

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Dentistry has traditionally used plastic appliances (splints and nightguards) to fit over the teeth and protect them from the damaging effects of bruxing (grinding the teeth) and clenching (pressing the teeth). Known as nightguards, splints, and bitegurds, they have been traditionally used while sleeping because much of the damage occurs while sleeping. (more…)

Do You Think You May Have Sleep Apnea?

Here is a great resource that showcases 9 symptoms that may indicate you have sleep apnea.

This article by Reader’s Digest may cause you to recognize that you should be evaluated for sleep apnea.

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A study done in Brazil at the Dental College wanted to find out.  In 68 people seen for TMJ problems, they evaluated the ability of acupuncture to help with the symptoms of TMJ, which are muscle pain(s) both around the jaw joint and at more distant places around the head and neck.

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You’re better off smoking than snoring…

Snoring rarely bothers the person snoring but often deprives others from restful sleep, even when sleeping in a different room.

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A recent study from the Mayo Clinic shows that the route of insomnia is caused by sleep apnea.

We hear people say “I can’t sleep….and I don’t want to take the sleeping pills because they don’t help either….”
This weekend I attended a seminar that updated current concepts in Dental Sleep Medicine; including the rising statistics of sleep disordered breathing (snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia), state of the art therapy with oral appliances and technologies available to Dental Sleep Medicine to help oral appliance efficacy.

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Do you have ear pain?

Ear pain, stuffy ears, tinnitus, neck pain can all be symptoms of a TMJ disorder from a full CPAP mask.

CPAP is the primary treatment offered for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and snoring. Surgical approaches are available with differing success rates and risks.

Oral Appliance therapy for sleep apnea is gaining popularity for it’s convenient use and longitudinal studies show better health outcomes for patients who use Oral Appliances all night, every night compared to the standard 4+ hours of CPAP use in an 8 hour sleep period.

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