Oral Airway Dilating (OAD) appliances are used in the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as an alternative to CPAP and/or surgery. OAD appliances help facilitate airflow for OSA patients who will not use or cannot tolerate CPAP therapy and/or surgery is not an option.The OAD brings the lower jaw forward to the upper which “dilates” or opens the airway allowing the patient to breathe more normally by reducing airway obstruction. This same technique also works to reduce or eliminate snoring.

MRI pictures taken of a person laying down shows the collapse of the airway caused by obstruction of tongue and surrounding tissue.

By bringing the lower jaw forward using an OAD appliance the muscles involved in creating the obstruction, including the tongue, are activated and opens the airway.

Depending on which appliance is chosen and the severity of the apnea, Oral Airway Dilating appliances are 60-80% effective in general and as much as 93% effective in those with mild sleep apnea.

 

In treating a sleep disorder such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Oral Airway Dilating appliances are proving to be an easy and cost effective alternative to CPAP or Surgery.

There are several ways to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea.  Among these is weight loss, smoking cessation and decreasing or eliminating alcohol.  However, since such substantial lifestyle changes may not be realistic for many, other forms of treatment must be considered.  Additional therapies include CPAP, Oral Appliances and Surgery.