Remedies for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring

• CPAP is the only remedy that is proven to work for OSA and snoring.
• Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS) are dental appliances that are likely to work in some cases.
• Lose weight: One of the most effective remedies for Obstructive Sleep Apnea - OSA - is weight loss. Overweight individuals who lose even 10% of their weight can reduce OSA incidents during the night and dramatically improve the quality of their sleep.
• Avoiding the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills can reduce the likelihood of airway closure during the night. They will make it harder for your air waves to stay open while you sleep.
• Sleep on your side instead of your back. Sleeping on your side may help keep your throat open.
• People who experience OSA only when they sleep on their backs can benefit from special pillows or folk remedies that encourage side-sleeping, such as the tennis ball sewn into the back of your pyjamas.
• Regularize your sleep hours: Irregular sleep hours can throw off your sleep cycles and lead to breathing problems during the most important sleep stages.
• For more see http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_apnea.htm.

Mandibular Advancement Splints

The concept of the mandibular advancement splint is that a dental appliance is fitted to the mouth, either moulded to the shape of your teeth like a mouthguard, or fitted by a dentist.

There are a large number of mandibular advancement splints on the market, ranging in price from $40 to $2,500, some good, some not. You can buy a mandibular advancement splint on the internet that is heated in boiling water, then inserted in the mouth and pressed into shape using the tongue and pressure on the cheeks. In Australia there is a nationwide commercial organisation that advertises widely and fits mandibular advancement splints, although you may be advised to discuss this with your dentist who does not have to recoup the advertising costs.

The Sleep Apnea Shop suggest that users of a mandibular advancement splint take an ApneaLink™ test to check to see if the splint is effective.

Your dentist will tell you not to use a mandibular advancement splint for any length of time without dental supervision, as incorrect fitting can cause damage.

Common problems associated with the use of dental devices include:

• Discomfort and soreness from the device
• Saliva build-up during the night
• Damage to teeth, mouth tissues, and jaw joints
• Toothache and jaw joint pain
• Nausea
• Permanent change in the position of the jaw or teeth
• Lack of long-term effectiveness in treatment because of problems with using the device
• In a limited number of cases, the use of an oral device has made sleep apnea worse.

To avoid problems with oral appliances:

• Make sure you are a good candidate for a dental device.
• Monitor the effects closely after starting to use the device, such as regular check to see if the mandibular advancement splint is working such as ApneaLink™ testing and regular visits to your dentist.

There are dentists who specialise in fitting mandibular advancement splint, but almost any dentist should do a good job. Dentists who specialize in treating snoring, sleep apnea, or jaw misalignment can help you evaluate the devices available and determine whether you might benefit from one of them. The following characteristics make you a good candidate for an oral appliance:

• Healthy teeth
• Lack of periodontal disease
• No significant temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease
• Reasonable range of motion in the mandible (lower jaw)
• Normal weight or only moderately overweight
• Older than 18, but younger than 65
• "Buck teeth" and a small chin
• A jaw line parallel to the floor
• The airway obstruction is in the middle of the airway, rather than very high or very low
• You sleep on your back or stomach, rather than on your side
• Diagnosed with snoring or mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea (not severe OSA)
• You have moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea, but cannot tolerate or refuse CPAP treatment
• You don't respond well to weight loss or change in sleep position, or these therapies are not applicable to you
• Failure to be effectively treated with throat surgery
• You refuse tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, craniofacial operations, or tracheostomy, or these procedures are inapplicable to you.

See your dentist to discuss whether you are a good candidate for oral appliance therapy.

There are also new medical procedures where the jaw is repositioned by a specialist, which are showing promise.