Oral Appliance Treatment Greensboro
Custom-Made Solutions for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
One of the most popular solutions for managing sleep apnea and its frustrating symptoms involves the use of a special oral appliance. These devices are also highly personalized, ensuring that they aren’t just comfortable to wear, but that they’re capable of immediately improving your sleep apnea. To learn more about oral appliance treatment in Greensboro and how our team at SleepMed Solutions can set you up with your very own, feel free to contact our office today!
Why Choose SleepMed Solutions for Oral Appliances?
How Does Oral Appliance Treatment Work?
Rather than forcing air into the throat to keep it open, oral appliances are worn over the teeth in such a way that the lower jaw is shifted forward and the airway is held open. This achieves the same purpose as a CPAP machine; it prevents disruptions to your sleep, eliminates snoring, and ensures that your oxygen levels remain adequate throughout the night. Plus, the oral appliances we offer here in our office are custom-made to fit your unique needs and provide ultra-reliable results.
Advantages of Oral Appliance Treatment
It’s no secret that oral appliance therapy differs from CPAP therapy – and while one technically isn’t “better” than the other, it’s important to recognize some of the distinct advantages that oral appliances offer:
- Unlike a CPAP machine, an oral appliance is completely silent, meaning it won’t disturb you or your bed partner.
- Using and maintaining an oral appliance is much simpler and more affordable compared to a CPAP machine; there are no power cords, masks, or extra parts to keep tabs on.
- Oral sleep appliances are very portable and travel-friendly; you can easily fit them and their storage cases into bags or suitcases, meaning that your sleep away from home will be just as restful.
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Modern-day oral appliances are highly customized for each patient, ensuring precise, personalized results.
Who Could Benefit from Oral Appliance Treatment?
Often, oral appliance therapy is recommended for these situations:
- A patient has been diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea and prefers oral appliance therapy as a first treatment option.
- A patient finds using their CPAP machine to be too cumbersome or difficult.
- The CPAP machine isn’t providing the results a patient wants.
- A patient wants to avoid sleep apnea surgery entirely.
- A patient has previously undergone sleep apnea surgery but needs additional treatment.
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A patient is searching for an affordable way to manage their sleep apnea.
Does Insurance Cover Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea?
In most cases, medical insurance provides at least partial coverage for patients who opt into receiving oral appliance therapy. However, it’s always important to go over your plan in detail before committing to treatment, since every policy varies. Of course, our team is more than happy to review the specifics of your insurance coverage with you to ensure that you’re able to afford the care you need without putting stress on your financial situation.
Oral Appliance Treatment FAQs
How Well Do Oral Appliances Work?
Oral appliances are effective in treating those with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Sometimes, it can also help those with severe sleep apnea. Since using an oral appliance is a non-invasive, more cost-effective approach to sleep apnea treatment, they are often recommended before exploring other sleep apnea treatment options.
What Are the Benefits of Oral Appliance Treatment?
Oral appliance treatment can be used to improve symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. This means that they can make it easier to stay asleep throughout the night, resulting in less daytime sleepiness, irritability, and difficulty focusing. Oral appliances are also easy to store when traveling, and don’t make noise, like CPAP machines.
How Do I Get an Oral Appliance for Sleep Apnea?
First, you should schedule an appointment to discuss your symptoms. You will need to undergo a sleep test to receive a diagnosis. After this, we can go over your treatment options. If you have mild to moderate sleep apnea, we may recommend oral appliance treatment. For this option, a customized orthotic will be crafted to fit perfectly in your mouth, positioning your jaw in the ideal position to keep your airway open throughout the night.
How Do I Care for My Oral Appliance?
You should brush and floss your teeth throughout before you put your appliance in each night. Because plague can build up on your appliance, it’s important that you clean it daily and let it dry out. When you aren’t using your oral appliance, make sure that it is stored in a safe place that is out of reach of any pets or small children.
How Do I Know That My Oral Appliance Is Working?
If your oral appliance is doing its job, you shouldn’t be snoring. You may experience improvements in fatigue, focus, and other sleep apnea symptoms. The best way to find out if your oral appliance is giving you the help you need is to repeat your sleep study using your oral appliance. If the study shows that the oral appliance is helping, you should continue to use it. If not, you may need to discuss other sleep apnea treatment options to get the quality sleep you need to thrive.