If you or your partner struggles with loud, chronic snoring or daytime fatigue, you know how disruptive sleep apnea can be. Fortunately, modern Bryn Mawr sleep apnea treatment options extend beyond the traditional, often cumbersome CPAP machine.

At Dillon Family Dentistry in Bryn Mawr, PA, we help our patients breathe better and sleep better with Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT). Still, we hear many questions and misconceptions about this simple but effective intervention.

It’s time to set the record straight! Here are four common myths about the oral appliance for sleep apnea, cleared up for Bryn Mawr residents.

Myth 1: Only Medical Doctors Can Treat Sleep Apnea.

Fact: Due to their education, dentists are uniquely qualified to treat many of their patients’ needs in a comfortable and effective way.

Sleep physicians will diagnose the problem, but a sleep apnea dentist in Bryn Mawr is specially trained to fit an oral appliance for sleep apnea. Once a physician diagnoses sleep apnea, it is the dentist’s job to fit the device, which works by repositioning your lower jaw and tongue. These specialists are uniquely trained to understand how the oral structures function and how the bite should be properly aligned. At Dillon Family Dentistry, we work closely with medical professionals to ensure that sleep apnea is accurately diagnosed and effectively treated, providing you with the same sense of comfort and confidence you expect from your trusted dental care team.

Myth 2: Getting Diagnosed Requires an Expensive, Complicated Hospital Stay.

Fact: Convenient, accurate home-based monitoring is now available right here in Bryn Mawr.

Many people delay seeking help because they dread the cost and inconvenience of an overnight hospital stay. At Dillon Family Dentistry, we offer a modern, highly sophisticated take-home sleep monitor. This device allows you to be accurately diagnosed in the comfort of your own bed, measuring crucial data like your breathing rate, oxygen saturation, and snoring volume. This makes starting your oral appliance therapy in Bryn Mawr, PA, much simpler and more affordable.

Myth 3: A Dental Appliance is Just a Generic Mouthguard.

Fact: It is a custom-made medical device designed to keep your airway open.

A professional dental appliance for sleep apnea is customized to your exact dental anatomy, unlike an over-the-counter boil-and-bite mouthguard. The device is designed to gently move your lower jaw forward to keep the soft tissues at the back of the throat from collapsing and obstructing your airway (the issue related to Obstructive Sleep Apnea). The fit of your device is imperative for effectiveness as well as comfort; custom-fitting to your exact dental anatomy is going to make OAT a better treatment option for sleep apnea for mild to moderate cases at Bryn Mawr.

Myth 4: If I Need Treatment, I Have to Use CPAP.

Fact: For many patients with mild-to-moderate sleep apnea, OAT is frequently the preferred option. 

The CPAP is incredibly effective, but not everyone tolerates it due to noise, pain, and size. Oral appliance therapy in Bryn Mawr PA offers a feasible option that is comfortable, portable, and discreet. It has been highly effective for people with mild to moderate OSA. If you struggle with the CPAP or are simply looking for a first-line treatment that is easier to wear and travel with, OAT might be for you.

Better Sleep in Bryn Mawr

If you experience chronic snoring, daytime fatigue, or teeth grinding, please don’t ignore the signs. As the number-one dentist for sleep apnea in Bryn Mawr, Dillon Family Dentistry is here to walk you through the diagnostic and fitting process to get you the treatment you need.

Time to breathe easy and get that restorative sleep again.

Are you ready for a comfortable, effective Bryn Mawr sleep apnea treatment?

Contact Dillon Family Dentistry today to set up your consult!