4 Ways a Dental Device is Better Than a CPAP for Mild Apnea

If you or your spouse live with mild sleep apnea, you know well how miserable life can be when you’re not getting adequate sleep. From mild irritations like fatigue and halitosis to serious health threats like cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, sleep apnea is a bane on the life of its sufferers.

Why Not Try a Dental Treatment for Sleep Apnea?

  Because sleep apnea--when left untreated--can literally kill, it’s worth it in mild cases to examine all the treatment routes, including dental devices. If you’re just starting your research into options for treating mild sleep apnea or seeking new solutions after having tried the oft-used CPAP machine to no avail, a dental device may be better than a CPAP for you. Here are four reasons to try one out:  

1. Better Treatment Compliance

If you’ve never had luck with using a CPAP machine regularly to treat your sleep apnea, you’re in the dangerous realm of leaving your condition untreated entirely. Occasional use of a CPAP has nearly the same benefits as no use -- which is to say, few to none. If you’re not using your CPAP as prescribed, a dental device can be a good alternative for making sure you get the oxygen you need while you slumber. If you’d like a treatment for mild sleep apnea you can stick to, a dental device is a good option. CPAP users who experience claustrophobia, for example, find that dental devices are much easier to leave in at night. Unlike masks, dental appliances for sleep apnea come without the side effects of skin irritation, dry nasal passages and trouble tolerating the sensation of pressurized air.  

2. Less Chance of Losing Your Device During Sleep

Active sleepers toss, turn and perform some impressive acrobatics in their sleep. Unfortunately, there’s very little you can do to become a less active sleeper without resorting to behavior modification therapy. When you live with sleep apnea, your bedtime activity can seriously limit your treatment options. Those who wear a CPAP machine to treat mild sleep apnea may find that they become tangled up in cords and tubes. Others may accidentally knock off their mask during their nightly throes. Still others may keep knocking the machine itself off of their bedside table -- an accident that can be costly to repair or replace.   If you’re an active mover during sleep, you may find that a dental device is a much more tolerable treatment for your mild sleep apnea. Because the devices sit inside your mouth, it’s much harder to accidentally lose them during sleep. A good dental device is custom fit and can feel somewhat like a traditional mouthguard, meaning you’re not likely to spit it out, either.  

3. Can Be Used When Other Treatments Fail or With Other Treatments

If you’ve tried, but failed, to use a CPAP machine or it doesn’t adequately meet your needs, discussing a dental device with your doctor is a good step to take. If you’ve had surgeries to help correct your sleep apnea, including but not limited to:

• Tonsillectomy
• Adenoidectomy
• Craniofacial surgical intervention
• Tracheostomy

But found them only partly successful or completely unsuccessful at providing relief, a dental device may be the way to go. Dental devices make it easy to engage a variety of alternative and complementary therapies, too. For example, while aromatherapy isn’t backed by hard science, some patients swear by it to breathe easier. Trying to inhale the scent of various oils and herbs in your bedroom is near impossible when utilizing a CPAP, but no big thing when using a dental device.

4. Better for On The Go Lifestyles

How often have you wanted a night away from home but have gotten exhausted at the thought of trying to drag along a cumbersome CPAP machine? If you lead a very active life, chances are good your sleep apnea treatment is getting in the way. Whether you prefer camping in the great outdoors and need an option that doesn’t rely on electricity or jetset from city to city and spend your life in hotels, a dental appliance is easier to tote along for the treatment of mild sleep apnea. It demands less room in your luggage, requires only that you remember to put it in before bed and takes up less space to use in your home away from home.  

Dental Devices to Treat Mild Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea kills -- that’s a fact and there’s no way around it. But you’re much less likely to suffer the worst this disease has to offer if you’re receiving adequate treatment you can stick to. A CPAP machine, while great for some, is often touted as the end-all, be-all of sleep apnea treatments, but it’s not a one size fits all solution. If you’re curious about getting a dental device for your sleep apnea, speak to your doctor, then call to us. Drs. Krieger and Hur are eager to help you get on the road to your best health. Because we know you live a busy life, we’ve made use of the latest technology to get you booked, in and out of the office as quickly as possible. We can be reached via telephone at 201-560-0606 or by e-mail. Call us today to discuss your options for dental devices that could make the woes of mild sleep apnea seem like just a bad dream.