Oral appliance therapy is often used in the treatment of mild to moderate sleep apnea. By treating your sleep apnea, you can reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other conditions. Treatment can also improve your daytime alertness, concentration and emotional stability—so why wouldn’t you want to get treated? With ease of use and easy to transport, oral appliance therapy is an easy alternative to CPAP for treatment. While it provides a list of benefits, let’s take a look at some of the side effects that you might experience when first beginning your treatment.
The Possible Side Effects
When you first begin treatment with oral appliance therapy there is a chance you could experience a few side effects, but they are nothing to be alarmed about. Oral appliance therapy may cause the following minor side effects:
- Excessive salivation
- Dry mouth
- Tooth and jaw discomfort
- Temporary bite changes
In rare cases, some patients might experience potential complications that can be avoided and fixed with proper communication with your dentist:
- Jaw pain
- Permanent changes to your bite
- TMJ symptoms
If these occur, it is important to contact your dentist to ensure your treatment is beneficial and successful. While oral appliance therapy might cause some side effects, they typically go away after frequent use because you will become used to your oral appliance.
These complications can be recognized and managed by dentists trained in dental sleep medicine. A board-certified sleep physician must make the first diagnosis of primary snoring or obstructive sleep apnea. Next, your dentist can provide you with oral appliance therapy for proper treatment of your sleep apnea.
Contact Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia for more information on oral appliance therapy and if it is a good treatment option for your sleep apnea.
