If I wear a night guard for grinding can I consider an oral device for snoring/apnea?

If I wear a night guard during sleep for grinding, can I consider the use of an oral device for snoring – apnea?

Many dentists and physicians often misunderstand the answer to this question.

Oral appliance therapy (OAT) treats snoring and apnea with the use of jaw retainers. This type of therapy is recommended for a variety of apnea patients, and for most snoring individuals. But many patients (and professionals) are not aware that OAT may well be an excellent choice in treating apnea in patients that grind their teeth during sleep. Wearing a CPAP, the most commonly prescribed treatment for apnea, is often very difficult for patients to tolerate, and even harder if additionally one needs to wear a night guard for teeth grinding.

It’s important to realize that there are over 80 oral devices for OSA and that not all are appropriate to use with patients who grind their teeth. If the wrong device is chosen, jaw pain can begin or increase. Many other devices are not strong enough to withhold the forces of teeth grinding. Choice selection of which oral device remains important.

Also, many medical and dental providers do not realize that if you wear a night guard and not treat your apnea, you have approximately a 40-50% chance of making the apnea worse, which can cause serious harm to your health. Best options for apnea patients that grind their teeth include:

1. CPAP therapy together with the use of a night guard for grinding

OR

2. Use of one specialty oral apnea appliance that can protect teeth from harmful teeth grinding wear AND treats the apnea.

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.