Dental appliance

[snamvar]

In the pursuit of treating my apnea, I have been trying to find out about all the possible treatments. I was told by my sleep doctor that one of the options besides CPAP or surgery is a dental appliance that stops my tongue from falling down my throat and causing the Hypoapnea.
I was wondering as if anyone has tried the dental appliance and if it has been sucessful. How do they determine as if it works or not
Thanks.

[rested gal]

I haven't tried one. I'm quite comfortable with my autopap treatment.

There are a blue million dental devices. You can see them at:

http://www.quietsleep.com/oralappliance ... script.htm

The TAP (Thornton Adjustable Positioner) dental device is one that several people on the talkaboutsleep.com "snoring/apnea" message board have been discussing. It's working well for several - still early days for some of the others trying it now.

Another method being discussed there is the Pillar procedure (implants to stiffen the soft palate) which several talkaboutsleep posters have recently had done.

The experience and abilities of the dentist or ENT one consults about these things would be of paramount importance in deciding: (a) if a person was a suitable candidate and (b) in actually performing the service.

[snurkster]

In the pursuit of treating my apnea, I have been trying to find out about all the possible treatments. I was told by my sleep doctor that one of the options besides CPAP or surgery is a dental appliance that stops my tongue from falling down my throat and causing the Hypoapnea.
I was wondering as if anyone has tried the dental appliance and if it has been sucessful. How do they determine as if it works or not
Thanks.

Hello: I once bought one in my country (Holland); Ihad to put it on my teeth-prothese, and then there was a plastic (? poly....?) thing that pushed my tongue down. It was very difficult for me to breath with it because I had the feeling I had to vomitt (scuse ) all the time, and that wasn't a good condition to fall asleep.Maybe if you are someone who can keep his mouth- muscles relaxed, it could be a solution.Good luck!

[ddm]

The way they tell if the mandibular device works is with a "pulse ox" test. You wear a device on your wrist with a contact taped to your middle finger. I can tell you that while waiting for a sleep doctor appt, I bought a cheap device from the web.

I can actually feel the difference in the morning. Although I have no day time symptoms of apnea, my oxygen level fell below 88% for 54 minutes in the test that I did with the pulse-ox unit. The dentist was "freaked out" as he put it. It fell below 70 sometimes which apparently is very dangerous.

So after the sleep doctor appt, I will decide which avenue to take. There are possible problems with the mandibular device such as TMJ jaw. You have to do jaw exercises in the morning to get your jaw back to it's original position.

[captcpap]

I know this is an old post but thought the link might be helpful for those looking into oral appliances.

http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/collection/yir284