Oral Appliances versus Mandibular Advancement Surgery
While oral appliance therapy and mandibular advancement surgery can be used to treat patients who suffer from moderate and severe sleep apnea, their effects are different in mechanisms and advantages and disadvantages.
Oral appliances are non-invasive oral devices that fit into the mouth at night, while jaw surgery is an invasive procedure to advance the bones permanently.
How do you choose? Here we’ll overview key factors to consider when weighing these two options for opening your airway.
How Oral Appliances Work
Oral appliance therapy uses customized mouthpieces that gently position your jaw, tongue, or palate. By shifting structures forward, they open and stabilize the airway.
Benefits of Oral Devices Include:
- This is a non-invasive approach with no surgery risks.
- The device could be easily fitted and be worn constantly while sleeping.
- Presents well at enhancing sleep quality and oxygen levels.
- Travel-friendly and portable
- Muscle-building effects yield long-term benefits over time
- Less expensive than surgery upfront
Success ensues month after month as the airway grows more accustomed to its self-imposed adaptation. You will most likely have to get the fitting adjusted periodically to realize maximum benefits. Oral therapy is most effectively used on less severe cases before surgery is contemplated on the jaw.
Discovering Mandibular Advancement Surgery
Mandibular advancement surgery in more severe apnea cases enlarges the airway dramatically by moving the lower jawbone forward permanently.
The surgeon realigns the jawbone by:
- Cutting bones to free them from the skull
- Bone grafts or plates are used to set it in a new forward position
- Upper teeth are set forward beyond the new jaw position
The advantages include huge increases in airway space for easier respiration. The success rate is high for the treatment of apnea.
However, the same standard surgical risks apply:
- General anesthesia complications in recovery
- Brief hospital stay and heavy pain.
- Risk of nerve damage.
- Also, it is much more costly upfront.
The consequences also are irreversible, so pick well. Orthodontics following surgery may be necessary after all.
Vital Factors in Deciding What Might Suit You
Consider your profile as you make decisions:
- The severity of your apnea and your particular airway obstruction findings
- Your medical history and surgical risks if any
- History of tolerance and efficacy of previous device or CPAP
- Ability to use therapy every night long-term.
- Lifestyle requires simplicity and mobility.
- Cost and coverage through insurance.
- Your exam and anatomy determine which providers will give you the best results.
- Gain function versus only apnea measure goals.
Our individualized approach will help you achieve the best treatment for you. We have many patients who use oral appliances pre and post-operative care.
Breathe Easier with Personalized Care
At our practice, your health and well-being are the top priorities. Whether an oral or surgical approach is best, we can support you fully in restoring restful nights. Sleep tight! Let us help you conquer sleep apnea once and for all!
