How to Make Your Sleep Apnea Treatment in Vero Beach Comfortable

After visiting your doctor, a sleep doctor, and finally a sleep dentist, you are finally the proud owner of an oral appliance that’s supposed to help treat your sleep apnea. The dentist told you that it might take a few nights for you to adjust to the oral appliance before it feels completely comfortable, but it’s been over a week now, and you still find yourself waking up with a sore jaw. Is there a way it can be adjusted so that it’s more comfortable? If you’re getting sleep apnea treatment in Vero Beach, yes there is! All you need to do is call your local sleep dentist, and they can use three different ways to help your appliance fit more comfortably. Read on below to learn more about each one.

1. They can adjust the appliance directly

If your issues are stemming from the appliance not fitting quite right, it’s normally an easy fix for a sleep dentist. For example, if you have an Herbst appliance, which slightly shifts the jaw forward using small metal arms, it’s easy for the dentist to simply adjust the length of the arms. If you take a close look at the appliance, you’ll actually see there are two small “+” marks on each arm. These are actually made to fit a key-like lever that can be used to turn the arm and make it longer or shorter. Your dentist can quickly adjust the arm to different lengths and see if that helps you rest a little easier.

2. They can send it to the manufacturer

For oral appliances that are not so simple to adjust, such as those that are made of a single piece of flexible plastic, your dentist may choose to send it to the manufacturer to be repaired or replaced. They may be able to make small adjustments themselves, but bigger ones should be handled by the people who actually made the appliance to ensure that it isn’t damaged in the process.

Speaking of which, if your discomfort is due to the appliance being damaged or broken, your dentist will definitely send it off to be repaired. Once it’s fixed, it should fit much better in your mouth.

3. Try another appliance

If you are still experiencing issues with an appliance despite having it adjusted multiple times, then it might just be time to try a completely different one. Your dentist might suggest using the same type of appliance initially to see if that helps, or they may have you move on to a completely different one. Doing this will require a bit more work because you’ll likely be recommended to complete a sleep study to ensure the new appliance is actually effective, but this will all be worth it in the end when you’re able to wake up well-rested every morning.

Basically, if your oral appliance is giving you trouble after a few days, don’t simply suffer in silence—give a sleep dentist a call, and they’ll be happy to work with you to ensure that your treatment fits like a dream.

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is a certified sleep dentist who has been serving Florida for more than 30 years. If you are having any issues with your oral appliance or anti-snoring device in Vero Beach, just give him a call, and he’ll do everything he can to help it fit like a glove. For questions, or to schedule an appointment, he can be easily contacted through his website.