Dental Appliance Can Help Sleep Apnea, a special dental appliance may do the trick.

Latest findings in oral appliance therapy and dental appliance therapy for Sleep Apnea sufferers. Sleep apnea can be a serious sleep disorder,apnea literally means without breath. People who have it actually stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time while they sleep, several times during the night. A majority of sleep apnea patients use an(CPAP)mask to help them breathe while they sleep. A special dental appliance may do the trick.

Once a sleep study confirms sleep apnea, a disorder that causes patients to stop breathing at night. Tratment used is a (CPAP) system, short for continuous positive airway pressure. Most people feel better using it, but it's was very cumbersome. Almost everyone wants an alternative.

One of the newest techniques for treating the most common sleep disorder, which is sleep apnea, is the use of an oral appliance. There is a new oral appliance therapy for snoring and sleep apnea. Though it looks like a sports mouth guard, the top and bottom are joined together. This holds the bottom jaw forward, preventing the tongue from relaxing into the airway during sleep. To help with the approximately 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea.

The Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine members collaborate to learn about oral appliances and the role they play in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep related breathing disorders. The organization builds bridges and forms relationships with the medical community, especially in sleep centers, and other professional groups that play an integral part of the sleep disorders treatment and research team. The ADSM helps educate practitioner dentists through clinical meetings that keep leading-edge ideas accessible and establishes and maintains appropriate treatment protocol. The ADSM also reaches out to the community at large, working toward the creation of a positive public awareness of sleep disorders and the role of the dentist in recognition and treatment of sleep breathing disorders.

News and Annoucements

The Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine supports new guidelines that identify oral appliance therapy as an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The guidelines, issued by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and published in the February 2006 issue of the SLEEP Journal, indicates that patients can use oral appliances as therapy for mild to moderate cases of obstructive sleep apnea or when (CPAP) is not a viable treatment option.

The process to make the appliance is similar to other orthodontic work. Since it's less bulky, patients are more apt to use it. The appliance is moulded by a dentist and placed in your mouth at night to hold the lower jaw and tongue forward.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine published guidelines on the use of

Oral appliances for sleep apnea.

The sleep specialists say that the devices are appropriate for mild to moderate sleep obstructive sleep apnea patients. They can even be used in patients with more serious cases if they aren't using their C-PAP machine.

It is strongly believed that Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White died because of Sleep Apnea. Here are 4 options for Sleep apnea,

(CPAP) - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Dental devices

Radio frequency procedure

Surgery for sleep apnea

Other Useful Sleep Apnea Links and Resources.
Sleep Ebook Sleep Apnea Appliances Resources