Using Oral Appliance Therapy with Dentures is Possible

Sacramento, CA, January 20, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Oral appliance therapy is a simple method of treating sleep apnea and problem snoring. For many patients with mild or moderate cases of sleep apnea, oral appliances can take the place of a Constant Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. Even for patients with severe sleep apnea*, oral appliances can improve their treatment in combination with CPAP. Patients with dentures, however, often have no natural attachment points for an oral appliance. Nevertheless, they can still use oral appliance therapy (OAT) to treat their sleep apnea if their dentures attach with dental implants.

Oral appliances are readily adapted for use with dental implants. With dentures mounted on implants, a patient has a solid foundation for biting and speaking throughout the day and then uses those implants at night to attach an appliance that prevents apnea episodes and snoring. Since sleep apnea is more common among elderly patients, many clients with sleep disorders may already have implants in place. Before they go to sleep, they simply remove their denture as normal, and replace it with an oral appliance!

Advantages of Implant Oral Appliances

Implant-mounted oral appliances result in a number of benefits:

• Patients report a reduction or elimination of snoring.
• Better sleep means better mental alertness during the day.
• Maximizes the investment in implants by using them as part of sleep therapy.
• Greater patient compliance compared to Positive Airway Pressure treatment.

The Sacramento Dentistry Group attaches sleep apnea appliances to implants. Their Sacramento dentists offer a free consultation, available through their website (sacramentodentistry.com), by calling at 916-538-6900 or in person at their downtown office on 1105 E Street.

* Sleep apnea is a disease where constricted or blocked air passages prevent oxygen from reaching the lungs while patients are asleep. This results in hundreds of “apnea” episodes throughout the night, when the brain “wakes” the sleeper to force the breathing passage open. Symptoms include habitual snoring, daytime lethargy, irritability and depression. Solutions focus on either forcing air through the passages (CPAP) or opening them by modifying the oral zone with appliances and/or orthodontic procedures. Since many patients quit CPAP after one year or less due to issues with the equipment, oral solutions are increasingly in demand by sleep apnea patients due to their simplicity and potential permanence.