What exactly is Oral Appliance Therapy/ Dental Appliance Therapy?

During sleep, the tongue naturally gravitates towards the back of your throat during sleep and can cause blockages. OAT is an effective treatment that involves wearing a removable oral appliance, similar to a night-guard/retainer during sleep. The appliance keeps the upper airway from collapsing and preventing airway blockage by either holding the tongue in place or supporting the jaw in a forward position. Because of the device, the soft tissue in the back of the throat won’t need to support the different regions of the mouth. Air can flow in and out easily. To be effective, oral appliances are custom-fit to the shape of your mouth.

Oral appliances fall into two main categories:

1. Mandibular repositioning/advancement devices (MAD)

These devices reposition your lower jaw down slightly and into a forward position. This positioning helps to keep your airways open while asleep and prevents hypopneas. MAD are custom made for each patient.

2. Tongue retaining devices:

While asleep, your tongue naturally gravitates towards the back of your throat. This can cause blockages. These oral appliances hold your tongue in place in order to prevent this from happening and maintain open airways. This type of device is mostly used for patients with dentures or patients who cannot adequately advance their lower jaw.