Sleep Apnea Therapy - Savannah, GA

Should You Consider the SomnoDent® MAS Oral Appliance?

Choosing an oral appliance to treat your chronic snoring or OSA can make a big difference not just for your overall health and quality of sleep, but for your partner sharing the bed with you. By eliminating most if not all of your symptoms means your partner doesn’t have to move to another room just to get the sleep they need. Furthermore, you can avoid other common symptoms associated with OSA, including headaches, daytime fatigue, and reduced concentration.

If you find the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to be uncomfortable, consider an alternative from SomnoMed! You just might be surprised by its effectiveness!

When is it worn?

To manage your snoring, simply wear the SomnoDent MAS oral appliance when you sleep. Since the device is incredibly discrete, you can easily close your lips, so it’s not obvious that you’re wearing it to those around you!

Is it comfortable?

The SomnoDent MAS oral appliance is incredibly comfortable to use because it is custom-made to fit your mouth exactly. There’s no need to worry about it interfering with your tongue or other nearby oral structures. Opening and closing your mouth feels normal since the appliance does not lock or fix your jaw, as is common for other MAS appliances.

What will the dentist do?

During your exam, Dr. Fana will perform a thorough examination of your teeth and mouth. This may also include x-rays to confirm the status of your oral health and confirm your eligibility for the appliance. To create the device, we’ll need to collect impressions of your bite. Once gathered, we’ll send the impressions to an offsite laboratory to have the appliance fabricated. After a week or so, you’ll come back to the dental office to have the appliance fitted. We’ll go over how to insert and remove it on your own as well as best practices for cleaning and maintenance.

What is an oral appliance?

Oral appliances are similar to orthodontic retainers or athletic mouthguards; they are small and worn inside the mouth in order to accomplish a specific task. In this case, the device is used to prevent the soft or hard oral tissue from obstructing the airway. While some appliances will change the position of your jaw, others change the position of the tongue. Either way, they are designed to reduce snoring and may treat OSA by aligning the jaw and tongue into a more relaxed position. Oral appliances are not ideal for everyone, but for many individuals, they relieve or even completely remove snoring, which in turn can dramatically improve your OSA symptoms.

What if I have a bridge or denture?

If you have crowns or bridges, you can still receive a SomnoDent MAS appliance. We’ll make adjustments to the appliance as needed to make sure your restorations are not harmed in any way. Of course, the SomnoDent MAS Flex, which comes with a soft interior lining, may also be more appropriate and gentler on your teeth.

In order to receive an oral appliance, you need to have a certain amount of healthy teeth. For example, most oral appliances require a set of 10 healthy teeth in both the upper and lower jaws. Thankfully, the SomnoDent MAS appliances are more accommodating and require fewer teeth to fulfil their purpose. If you have a partial denture, you may also be able to successfully receive oral appliance treatment as long as you have enough teeth in the lower arch. This allows for the best retention possible.

If you have dental implants or plan to receive dental implants, the MAS can also be fitted with your restorations. Our dental office recommends the SomnoDent MAS Edentulous appliance if you have no upper teeth and that it be made from acrylic or flex material. If you’ve ever used an upper denture, you’ll notice that this appliance covers the palate in a very similar way, is secured via suction and designed to oppose the lower splint. This two-piece coupling mechanism results in no downward pull on the upper splint.

Thanks to these accommodations, edentulous patients can benefit from a SomnoDent MAS. However, all patients considering this oral appliance must have at least six teeth in the lower jaw for optimal function.

Can it be adjusted?

The SomnoDent MAS is equipped with medical-grade stainless steels screws on its side, allowing for incremental levels of jaw advancement, so yes. This allows patients to move their jaw only as far as required when alleviating snoring and OSA, while still ensuring effectiveness and the most comfortable fit possible.