If you've been searching for a snoring device -- anything, you say, to help you (or your partner) sleep in peace -- a visit to the dentist might be in your future.
That's right: the dentist. Snoring, after all, is related to your mouth -- a dentist's area of expertise. And one of the more popular snoring devices is an oral appliance that needs to be fitted by a dentist.
The snoring device is a molded mouthpiece that's fitted by a dentist. It's worn at night to keep the airway open.
Snoring devices typically work in one of three ways:
•They hold the tongue forward.
•They bring the lower jaw forward.
•They bring the lower jaw forward.
•They lift a drooping soft palate, which is the roof of the mouth.
A combination oral appliance may be able to do all of these things.Snoring: Advantages to Oral Appliances
As a treatment, oral appliances have a number of advantages, including the fact that they're relatively small and easy to wear. Most people take just a few weeks to become comfortable with wearing an oral device while sleeping. Because of their light weight and small size, it’s easy to travel with the devices, according to the Narcolepsy and Overwhelming Daytime Sleep Society of Australia.
The total cost of oral appliance therapy is typically much less than for many other treatments. In addition, treatment with an oral appliance is reversible and doesn't require surgery.
People are considered good candidates for using an oral appliance as long as they have minimal or no jaw joint dysfunction, gum disease and tooth decay. It's preferable if they don't have full dentures, but sometimes even people with dentures are able to use an oral appliance.
Side effects are usually minor and disappear shortly after the device is removed in the morning. Common side effects include dry mouth, soft tissue irritation, excessive salivation, tooth and jaw joint discomfort and minor bite problems.
People who use oral appliances should visit their dentist at least once every six months during the first year and at least once a year thereafter to make sure the device still fits and works properly.