Oral Appliance Therapy in York Harbor, ME

Oral appliance therapy is a general term used in modern dentistry to refer to dental appliances, usually made of comfortable and moldable plastics. Dentists use them for sleep therapy or protection against impact injuries. Also known as night guards and mouth guards, our dentist near you has provided these treatment protocols for countless patients in York Harbor, ME, and Dr. Grover is pleased to provide the same care for you and your family. Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions our dentist in York Harbor, ME, receives about oral appliance therapy to help you become more familiar with this branch of dentistry. If you don’t see your particular question answered here, we’d love to meet you and provide the answers during your oral appliance therapy consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Oral Appliance Therapy Near You

What is an oral appliance?

Modern dentistry uses oral appliances to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or protect teeth against impact injury (most common during sports). Dentists can use oral appliances to treat OSA instead of traditional CPAP machines and masks, which many individuals find cumbersome and uncomfortable. Custom-made oral appliances used to protect against impact injuries (also known as sports guards) are superior in quality and fit over-the-counter (OTC) sports guards, making them a top choice for maximum smile protection.

How do oral appliances work?

Oral appliances for OSA work by helping to align a patient’s jaw, which in turn keeps the patient’s airway more open and prevents the patient’s throat from collapsing while sleeping. Oral appliances for impact protection work by being custom molded to fit a patient’s teeth. While OTC sports guards are available, many professional athletes rely on the advanced protection of a customized sports guard from their dentist or the team dentist.

What are the indications for oral appliances?

As stated, an oral appliance for OSA is intended to help patients get a safe night’s sleep without concern about the side effects of OSA. Likewise, the indication for a sports guard is to protect a patient’s teeth from being injured or knocked out during sports or other activities where facial impact is a concern.

What are the advantages of oral appliances?

The primary advantage of an oral appliance for treating OSA is that it is less cumbersome than a CPAP machine. On the other hand, the primary advantage of a sports guard oral appliance is that it can prevent costly dental events such as repairing fractured teeth or replacing knocked-out teeth.