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Obstructive Sleep Apnea & The Importance of After-Care
You’ve been diagnosed with mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea after taking a sleep test. You’ve been fitted for your appliance, like our SomnoDent® Avant™, by your sleep dentist, to move your jaw and tongue forward while you sleep, opening up your airway and treating your sleep apnea effectively.
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You’re probably feeling so much better by this point! However, your treatment needs to be checked regularly in order to remain effective. It’s important to follow up with your sleep physician and/or sleep dentist. So…what does that process look like?
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR SOMNODENT® DEVICE
During delivery of your SomnoDent® oral device, your sleep dentist will show you how to place the device in your mouth, how to adjust it, and how to clean it. We pride ourselves on the First Time Fit™, every time promise, so you can start using your oral appliance that same night – and start feeling the benefits of treating your sleep apnea!
Sometimes, patients will be advised to keep track of their sleep schedule by maintaining a sleep diary – the data of which you can share with both your sleep specialist and/or sleep dentist during your important follow-up visits.
Patients with moderate sleep apnea utilizing an oral device often undergo a follow-up sleep study while using their oral appliance to confirm the device’s effectiveness. During this follow-up sleep study, jaw positioning can be further adjusted to optimize treatment success. Following this second sleep study, patients should schedule a consultation with their sleep physician to discuss the results.
SCHEDULE YOUR FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS
The key to confirming successful treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea with your SomnoDent® oral device is to keep a line of communication open with your sleep physician, your sleep dentist, and your regular doctor. This will ensure that you’re tracking your signs and symptoms and getting an adequate amount of restful sleep.
A follow-up visit with your sleep dentist is recommended for the first six months after acquiring your oral appliance, and then continuous visits are recommended to be scheduled annually.
HOW LONG DO ORAL APPLIANCES LAST?
Typically, an oral appliance should last two to five years. SomnoMed covers most of its devices with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty. However, under appropriate conditions such as proper and routine device care, a SomnoDent® oral appliance can last longer than five years.
Bottom line: Once you have your oral appliance, it’s important to check in regularly with your sleep physician and/or sleep dentist to maintain effectiveness. If something happens to your device and it needs repair, your sleep dentist will be happy to address that for you!
Interested in finding a sleep dentist near you? We can help. Start your journey to sleep health here: https://somnomed.com/en/find-a-clinic/
Sources
https://dentalsleeppractice.com/less-calculus-more-sleep-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-sleep-hygienist/
