Different Options For Treating Sleep Apnea: Mouthpiece And Machine Pros And Cons

Sleep apnea is no light matter, but sadly, a lot of people who suffer from it do not acknowledge the dangers of the condition if it’s left untreated. The thing is, it’s not at all that difficult to treat, and sleep specialists even claim that proper treatment can put an end to the condition and then yield a bounty of benefits (with the best one being a significant improvement in quality of life).

When it comes to effective treatments for serious cases of sleep apnea, a CPAP machine is typically recommended for use. It’s deemed the most effective for many, but there’s still a considerable percentage of people who just can’t tolerate the machine even if they try different masks and have the assistance of a trained professional. Therefore, no matter how good it works for others, the machine just fails in treating this group of people.

Now, those who just can’t use a CPAP machine are usually advised to try a sleep apnea mouthpiece. This device still causes some discomfort for the wearer, but the “pains” of wearing this device are not as severe as when a CPAP machine is used. The mouthpiece is fitted by a dentist to increase comfortable wear, plus it comes in different “designs” that patients can choose from. One design opens the air pathway by making the lower jaw jut forward, and then the newer design created by certain manufacturers uses a unique approach by creating a suction effect that gently pulls the tongue forward to clear the airway. These newer mouthpieces offer the advantage of having a more snug fit so users don’t have to worry about the device slipping and falling out in the middle of the night.

These mouthpieces are much easier to get accustomed to, and the additional advantages to opting for them include are that they are simpler to use and more economical. These are great sleep apnea treatment solutions, but as mentioned earlier they still create some discomfort for the wearers. For those mouthpieces or mouthguards that jut the lower jaw forward, the common complaint by users is that they often get a sore jaw in the morning which lasts for several hours. Another issue with this type of device is that it can actually lead to long-term bite misalignment if countermeasures aren’t applied.

As for the other types of sleep apnea mouthpieces, some people say their tongue becomes particularly sensitive after a night of wearing the device, but the good news is that the sensation doesn’t last long.

Sleep apnea should be treated promptly, and these are the provisions to consider so that better quality of sleep can finally be experienced.