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Oral Appliances for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

All oral appliances that are used in the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea have one thing in common: they all position the lower jaw (mandible) forward. These appliances are referred to as Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS) or Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD). In Obstructive Sleep Apnea, we are concerned with the airway, or more specifically, the oropharyngeal airway - the part of the airway immediately behind the tongue. This is the part of the airway that can collapse, causing Apnea (literally - without breath).

In CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) training, we first learned the head-tilt (neck extension) and now the jaw thrust (mandibular advancement) maneuvers to open the airway for the unconscious patient. There is an illustration on the airway page that shows the effect of head and jaw position on the size of the airway.

At first glance, people look at these appliances and wonder how putting something that looks bulky in the mouth could actually increase space in the airway rather than making it worse by pushing the tongue back. However, patients comment on how they feel they actually have more space in the mouth with the appliance in place.

Examples of Oral Appliances (MAS, MAD) Used by Dr. Hair to Treat Sleep Apnea

See the illustration on the Airway Page to see the effects of Oral Appliances on opening the airway of a person with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

Return to the Sleep Apnea Page.

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6842 Douglas Boulevard, Suite K
Douglasville, Georgia 30135
Phone: 770-949-1005
Fax: 770.949.1006
Email: info@DrJoeHair.com

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Dr. Hair is a Douglasville general and cosmetic dentist who welcomes new patients from all over the Atlanta area, including Douglasville, Villa Rica, Carrollton, Breman, Hiram, Dallas, Lithia Springs, and Newnan. He provides Oral Appliances and hospital dentistry in his modern Douglasville, Georgia dental office. He uses some of the newest diagnostic equipment including laser cavity detection and digital x-rays.