By: Danielle Duncan

Sleep plays a crucial role in our overall well-being, and any disruption to our sleep can have significant impacts on our daily lives. For patients suffering from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, finding effective solutions to ensure a restful night’s sleep is essential. One of the most successful methods to address sleep apnea and improve sleep quality is through the use of breathing appliances that can be custom made by a dental sleep expert. Today we will explore how these appliances work and the benefits they provide for patients.

As dentists, it’s important to understand what sleep apnea is and how it affects your patients. Sleep apnea, a far too common sleep disorder that causes a start and stop breathing cycle during sleep. This can lead to poor sleep quality and other health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

The symptoms of sleep apnea can be a detriment to getting good sleep, and includes gasping for air, daytime tiredness, and the most common complaint, snoring. Some patients experience some, or all symptoms of sleep apnea. Sitting up, sleeping on their side, or even avoiding sleep are common ways that patients may try to find some relief, but the best way for them to get the sleep they truly deserve is by being diagnosed and treated with a sleep appliance. That’s where you come in, dentists who implement dental sleep medicine into their practices have a unique opportunity to help their patients and ensure that they get those much needed Z’s. By working together, we can help our patients achieve better sleep and improve their overall health.

The Mechanics of Breathing Appliances

Breathing appliances, also known as oral appliances or mandibular advancement devices, are custom-made devices that are worn during sleep. A dental appliance for sleep apnea is designed to reposition the lower jaw and tongue, preventing them from blocking the airway and causing interruptions in breathing. By keeping the airway open, breathing appliances facilitate a continuous flow of air, allowing patients to breathe freely throughout the night.

Benefits of Breathing Appliances

1. Improved Sleep Quality:

By addressing the root cause of sleep apnea, breathing appliances significantly improve sleep quality for patients. With a properly positioned airway, the interruptions in breathing that lead to fragmented sleep are minimized or eliminated altogether. As a result, patients experience fewer awakenings during the night and enjoy a more restful sleep and can finally stop sleeping in a chair! Sleep apnea doesn’t have to be a cause of sleepless nights, by treating sleep apnea in patients with breathing appliances you can help turn non-compliance into relief. 

2. Reduced Daytime Fatigue:

Sleep apnea often leads to excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue due to the constant disruptions in sleep. Breathing appliances help alleviate these symptoms by ensuring uninterrupted breathing, allowing patients to wake up feeling refreshed and energized. By promoting better sleep, breathing appliances contribute to increased daytime alertness and productivity.

3. Enhanced Overall Health:

Untreated sleep apnea can have detrimental effects on overall health, increasing the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Breathing appliances play a vital role in managing these risks by effectively treating sleep apnea. By improving sleep quality, these appliances contribute to better cardiovascular health and overall well-being.

Choosing the Right Breathing Appliance

When it comes to selecting a breathing appliance, it is crucial that patients consult a dental sleep professional specializing in sleep disorders. These sleep experts can evaluate a patient’s specific needs and recommend the most suitable appliance to treat sleep apnea. Custom-made appliances offer the best fit and comfort, ensuring optimal results.

Breathing appliances are a proven and effective solution for patients suffering from sleep apnea. By addressing the underlying causes of interrupted breathing, these devices significantly improve sleep quality, reduce daytime fatigue, and enhance overall health. If you are ready to implement dental sleep medicine into your practice today, take our free assessment to see how Imagn and Ripple can help you to start treating sleep apnea patients today!