Oral appliance treatment
A small custom appliance, worn while you sleep, that holds your airway open. For many adults it’s an effective alternative to CPAP.
How a sleep appliance works
An oral appliance, also called a mandibular advancement device, is a pair of thin, custom-made trays worn over your upper and lower teeth at night. They’re linked so your lower jaw is held slightly forward. That brings the tongue forward too, leaving more room for air to pass behind it.
It can look like a night guard, but it does a different job. Here’s how it compares with the alternatives people often ask about.
Already using CPAP?
CPAP is the main treatment for many people with sleep apnea, especially when it’s severe. If you find the mask hard to live with, an oral appliance may be an alternative, or a backup for travel. We’ll plan that together with your physician.
Please keep using your CPAP until your physician agrees a change.
Who an appliance suits
- Adults who snore, once a physician has checked it isn’t a sign of sleep apnea
- Adults with mild or moderate sleep apnea
- Adults with severe sleep apnea who can’t use CPAP, when their physician agrees
- Adults with enough healthy teeth, or implants, in both jaws to hold it in place
Other treatments
Your physician may also talk to you about:
- CPAP or other positive airway pressure machines
- Losing weight, if it applies to you
- Sleeping on your side rather than your back
- Surgery on the nose, throat or jaw
- An implanted nerve stimulator that keeps the tongue forward
Some people do best with a combination, such as an appliance plus sleeping on their side.