Doctors Answers (2)
Please accept my apologies for taking so long to get back with you. Our office has been closed and just re-opened today. The first step is to take dental impressions of your teeth, which takes only a few minutes. Plaster models are then made from the impressions. Sleep apnea devices are custom-made to your teeth and bite at a specialty laboratory. Then, device is fitted to your teeth and bite by your dentist. This is not a painful procedure at all. If you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please let me know.
In our office we will first screen you for any Temporomandibular Joint (Jaw Joint) problems first. After some information from your history and clinical exam, we will select an appropriate oral appliance to suit your needs. We take molds of your upper and lower jaw and then make a bite registration that tells us the relationship between your upper and lower jaw. In general, when made properly, an oral appliance is comfortable and unobtrusive. Surgery doesn't have a great track record and I would advise a simple, non-invasive oral appliance first.
