I Need CPAP – Can I Use Oral Appliance Therapy Instead?

Recently I was diagnosed and told I need CPAP for my obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Can I use Oral Appliance Therapy and have a dental mouth device made instead?

oral appliance therapy

Oral Appliance Therapy

Oral appliance therapy (OAT) has evolved over the past 30 years now reaching acceptable levels as a very good choice of treatment for many apnea sufferers.

The standard of care for oral appliances as set by sleep-trained physicians include oral appliances as an acceptable treatment choice for those:

  • With mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea
  • That prefer oral devices to CPAP
  • With severe OSA unable to tolerate CPAP
  • That have failed attempts of weight loss and positional therapy

There are other factors that need to be evaluated when OAT is contemplated. These may include how sleepy an individual is during the day as a result of apnea, or how low oxygen dipped during the patient’s sleep test. For many, CPAP can give them immediate relief of excessive daytime sleepiness. After their symptoms have been resolved, they may want to then seek oral appliance therapy.

Many successful CPAP users also choose to have oral appliances made as an option for traveling even if they are compliant and able to wear the CPAP.

Advantages of oral appliances over CPAP include:

  • less cumbersome
  • easy to travel with
  • no hoses and cords
  • no mask problems
  • no facial irritation
  • no sinus issues

To find out if you are a good candidate for oral appliance therapy, ask your sleep physician or primary care doctor about it. You can choose to come in for a screening and discussion here at Dental Sleep and TMD Center of Illinois, and we can help direct you with further details.

Dental Sleep and TMD Center of Illinois, a premiere snoring and apnea treatment center in Naperville has been providing the CPAP alternative treatment of oral appliance therapy for over 17 years successfully. We are extremely passionate in helping individuals that have been struggling with CPAP therapy in Naperville, Lisle, Aurora, Bolingbrook and surrounding Chicago suburbs. For more information on this physician-recommended treatment option visit www.TiredOfSnoring.com or call us at (630) 369-5508.

I Hate my CPAP! Why did it take years to find a CPAP Alternative Treatment?

I hate my CPAPIn our last blog, Another Successful CPAP Alternative Case in Naperville!, we described how it took years for one of our patients to go from being diagnosed with snoring and obstructive sleep apnea to getting great high quality sleep. Years of struggling with CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure machine) problems had finally been stopped with the use of a custom made professionally prescribed mouth retainer (oral appliance therapy). No snoring, improved energy, and just good sleep!

Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, prescribing physicians often overlook oral appliance therapy (OAT) for the treatment of snoring and apnea. Here are just a few reasons why:

  • Lack of knowledge about oral appliance therapy within the physicians’ world remains the primary reason for lack of guidance towards OAT.
  • For many, especially moderate to severe cases, or those that are very sleepy during the day, CPAP remains their best quickest option, at least early on.
  • Very unfortunate remains the fact that physicians who ARE aware of OAT feel that these devices are too expensive and may not work, and may discourage patients from even trying oral appliance therapy. This truly saddens me.
  • Some geographical areas do not have many dentists who are trained in snoring and apnea treatment. Rarely is this area taught in dental schools.
  • Some medical facilities obtain revenues from the CPAP industry, and as a result have a financial interest in having patients go the CPAP route. Their focus is often on what is easily accessible, and what has the highest success rates (if used).
  • OAT crosses the MD – -DDS barrier more than any other dental treatment. Ongoing communications between these worlds are often minimally existent.  Both sectors are needed and it takes effort to coordinate treatment and referral process.
  • Medical facilities often lack a highly evolved system in following up with previously diagnosed patients. Many just fall though the cracks and alternatives are rarely given.

It has been well over 15 years when I had first entered the world of dental sleep medicine. Reflecting on this, I am amazed that many obstacles to treatment that were present then are still present today.  Obstacles of getting good sleep through custom oral devices have not changed. My professional ‘wish’ in the world of dental sleep medicine is that the medical and dental worlds unite, and put the patient’s sleep their number one priority by directing them to the best treatment for their snoring and apnea condition.

Dental Sleep and TMD Center of Illinois, a premiere snoring and apnea treatment center in Naperville, has been providing the CPAP alternative treatment of oral appliance therapy for over 15 years successfully. We are extremely passionate in helping individuals that have been struggling with CPAP therapy in Naperville, Lisle, Aurora, Bolingbrook and surrounding Chicago suburbs. For more information on this physician recommended treatment option call us at (630) 369-5508.

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Do I have to try using a CPAP machine before getting an oral device to treat my apnea?

This is a great question that I get asked quite often. And the answer is not a simple yes or no.

Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is widely recommended by physicians as a treatment choice for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Most current standard of care guidelines include that OAT is a suitable choice of treatment for mild to moderate OSA, for severe who cannot tolerate or failed CPAP treatment, or for those who prefer to have an oral appliance. However, in many cases patients are automatically sent through the path of CPAP.

What we have found over the years working with oral appliance therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is that there are several factors regarding insurance reimbursement for OAT that need be considered.

Whether oral appliance therapy gets covered without attempting CPAP therapy may depend on the following:

  • Specific plan of the policy
  • Severity of the diagnosis of OSA
  • The presence of other symptoms like excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Occupation restrictions or necessity of treatment usage monitors
  • How recent the sleep testing diagnosis occurred
  • Medical notes on factors that may contribute to poor CPAP tolerance

For many, CPAP does not need be attempted for medical insurance reimbursement of OAT for the treatment of OSA.

To find out if your medical insurance guidelines dictate CPAP failure prior to OAT, call us at (630) 369-5508 and we can review your particular situation after a general screening is performed.

Dental Sleep and TMD Center of Illinois, a premiere snoring and apnea treatment center in Naperville, has been providing the CPAP alternative treatment of oral appliance therapy for over 15 years successfully. We are extremely passionate in helping individuals that have been struggling with CPAP therapy in Naperville, Lisle, Aurora, Bolingbrook and surrounding Chicago suburbs. For more information on this physician recommended treatment option, visit www.TiredOfSnoring.com or call us at (630) 369-5508.

>>To receive notice of when we add blog posts please subscribe by RSS feed or enter your email address to the left and receive notice in your inbox.<<

DENTAL SLEEP AND TMD CENTER OF ILLINOIS

1100 SHERMAN AVE., SUITE 103 | NAPERVILLE, IL | PHONE: 630.369.5508