Will an oral device prevent my husband's snoring due to apnea? i've been trying to get him to get something done to stop his snoring, and i'm pretty sure he has apnea. he won't go get it checked out though, and i thought maybe telling him about oral devic

Priot : Priot to undertaking any treatment for sleep apnea the following should be undertaken / determined because sleep apnea has many different causes each of which require different specific treatments. Snoring, though frequently associated with sleep apnea, is not always amenable to treatment by an oral appliance. Snoring is frequently due to elongation of the soft palate (roof of mouth) or due to the loss of tone of this tissue. Oral appliances are usually designed to position the lower jaw forward to open the lower airway and typically do not address the tissues of the roof of the mouth. Surgical procedures to shorten the soft palate or to increase the stiffness of these tissues is usually required in cases such as this. An assessment by a obstructive sleep apnea team should be performed. These teams are usually affiliated with a regional medical center / hospital. They will perform a history and physical to determine if there are any medical / pharmacological causes for your symptoms. You will be asked to undergo a sleep study to determine the presence of sleep apnea and to determine its severity and to further rule out causes. An apnea / hypopnea index will be determined. Depending upon the serverity of the sleep apnea you will be offered treatment solutions by this team. Usually a trial of CPAP is encouraged. Occasionally an oral appliance or surgery may be recommended. There are many types of oral sleep apnea appliances, each having their proponents. Typically, if an oral appliance is required, it is custom fabricated by either a dentist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon. You should seek care from a dentist / oral and maxillofacial surgeon who is board certified by their respective specialities and has an affilitation with your sleep apnea team.

Some : Some patients with sleep apnea can be evaluated with a home sleep study which means that your husband will not need to come to the hospital for a night. He would still need to see a qualified sleep specialist prior to conducting a home sleep study. Take care.

The : The obstruction causing snoring is not dangerous, but is a nuisance. An oral appliance can help. Obstruction causing apnea is dangerous. It will cause longterm health problems including heart disease, worsen diabetes, increase obesity. Diving while sleepy is a s bad as driving drunk. There are multiple ways to treat obstructive sleep apnea and it is easier to treat the more mild it is. The worst thing he can do is be in denial. There are now simple home sleep studies that are thought to be as good as the full night sleep study, so diagnosis is easier.