Oral Appliance Therapy – Powell, OH •

Custom-Made Sleep Appliances

For patients dealing with mild to moderate sleep apnea and snoring, oral appliance therapy offers a conservative and comfortable treatment option. It can help those who are either CPAP intolerant or looking for a simple solution to their sleep issues. Dr. Shelley is certified by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, so she’s able to custom-design our patients’ appliances so they are both effective and fit like a glove. Could oral appliance therapy be exactly what you need to start getting the quality sleep you deserve? Read on below to learn more!

Why Choose Powell Dental Sleep Solutions for Oral Appliance Therapy?

Digital Scanning with Carestream - No Messy Impressions
Diplomate of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine
Custom Appliance Selection & Treatment for One Price - No Hidden Fees

Oral Appliances for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring

Model smiles with oral appliances in place

Oral appliances for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) attempt to open the airway by altering the position of the lower jaw. The tongue and jaw are connected to muscles and ligaments throughout the back of the pharynx and can allow the airway to open and stabilize when gently stretched. The anatomy of a patient’s neck, jaw, airway, tongue, and oral structures are influential in the ability to open the airway. Our complete screening will identify physical and behavioral factors that may influence the effectiveness of your treatment.

How Oral Appliance Therapy Helps

Closeup of patient with sleep apnea appliance in place

Oral appliances are an accepted and common treatment for sleep-related breathing disorders such as OSA, snoring, and their associated symptoms. They are intended to decrease the frequency or duration of apneas, hypopneas, and/or snoring events. They have been shown to improve nocturnal oxygenation and reduce the adverse health and social consequences of OSA and snoring. They can be used as a standalone therapy or in combination with other common sleep treatments.

Trust Your Sleep to a Custom-Made Appliance

Closeup of teeth with oral appliance in place

An oral appliance must be custom fabricated using impressions and models of an individual patient’s oral structures. It should not be constructed from a prefabricated item that is trimmed, bent, relined, or otherwise modified. It should be made of biocompatible materials and have a mechanism that allows the mandible to be advanced in increments of 1mm or less. It should also maintain a stable relationship to the teeth and retain its setting during use. The oral appliance must also maintain its structural integrity over a minimum of 3 years. These requirements must be met to qualify as a medical device that treats OSA.

Understanding the Cost of Oral Appliances

Patient learning the cost of sleep apnea treatment in Powell

The cost of oral appliances is something that cannot be determined until our team at Powell Dental Group Sleep Solutions meets with you. There are many different types available, each of which will be custom-made to address your unique concerns. You can, however, expect our trusted team to consider various factors when creating an estimate for you to review. We’ll also go over ways to help you save so that your focus can be on treatment and not its costs.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Oral Appliances

During an initial consultation with Dr. Shults, you can expect her to not only develop a carefully crafted plan to address your sleep apnea but also a cost estimate based on the following factors:

Customization Required: Your mouth and facial structures are unique, so she will consider the molds that need to be created as well as the time and skill required for fabrication. By choosing a more customized approach as opposed to a one-size-fits-all option, the cost will likely be higher.
Type of Oral Appliance: Shults offers many different oral appliance options, each with their own price point. She will discuss which one(s) will deliver maximum results.
Additional Fees: It is normal to charge for the various services that are required as part of oral appliance therapy – initial consultation, appliance fitting, any necessary adjustments, and follow-up visits.

Comparing the Cost of Oral Appliances to Other Treatments

When comparing the cost of an oral appliance to other forms of sleep apnea treatment (i.e., CPAP), you should think about the long-term price tag.

CPAP machines may be the most common approach dentists and sleep physicians use, but it’s not cost-effective. Not only do you have to pay for the initial device, but you’ll be required to maintain it, which means purchasing new masks, hoses, and other similar components depending on the type of CPAP machine you have.

An oral appliance, however, is more cost-effective over time. There are initial fees and expenses (listed above), but if your device is properly maintained, you can expect it to last many years before needing a new one. Follow-up visits will be required over time, but the price for these will be minimal in comparison to what is required for CPAPs or even surgical treatment (an option that can cost thousands of dollars and is highly invasive).

Does Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Oral Appliance Therapy?

Unfortunately, dental insurance companies are unlikely to cover the cost of oral appliance therapy. Although it is an oral device, its purpose is to address a health-related condition, which is why it’s deemed a medical device by health insurance companies. Fortunately, Dr. Shults is a Medicare Durable Medical Equipment provider and is in-network with many medical insurance plans.

Making Oral Appliance Therapy More Affordable

Sleep dentist discussing cost with male patient

Making sure you get the care you need while remaining within your budget is important, and we understand that. This is why Powell Dental Group Sleep Solutions is pleased to help request a GAP exception if your medical insurance does not include sleep dentistry to be part of their in-network coverage.

Also, you can enroll in flexible financing through CareCredit – a third-party company that offers payment plans consisting of little or no interest. With CareCredit, you’re in control of your budget. You can choose a plan that works well with your timeframe for paying back the cost of your care.

Oral Appliance Options

At Powell Dental Sleep Solutions, we can provide a wide selection of oral appliances so we’re able to offer the perfect treatment for each unique patient. When you come to see Dr. Shelley, she’ll examine you so she can determine which of the following appliances will best help you overcome your sleeping issues:

ProSomnus EVO Sleep and Snore Device

The ProSomnus EVO is a 3D milled device using new MG6 technology, is BPA free, less porous, is biocompatible and hygienic, with proprietary engineering and manufacturing. It is more flexible, more durable, little to no breakage, less volume, greater comfort, easier delivery and easier to clean than other appliances.

ProSomnus™ IA

The ProSomnus IA is the first sleep apnea appliance that’s specifically tailored to each patient’s unique treatment plan. The device has several characteristics that can be adjusted as necessary, such as the post angles, the amount of opening to the airway, and the anterior discluder – there are even metal-free hooks for elastics! As a result, the patient’s treatment outcome is optimized and made highly efficient, and their overall care experience is more comfortable than ever before.

ProSomnus [IA] Select Sleep and Snore Device

This ProSomnus signature variation SELECT, enables patients to have improved lip competency with less than 5.0mm of anticipated advancement. The nested posts and minimal facial coverage makes this appliance one of the smallest in the industry.

ProSomnus [PH] Herbst Sleep and Snore device

The ProSomnus [PH] Precision Herbst-style Sleep Device is FDA cleared, Medicare E0486 verified and designed to provide a better experience for all patients. Incorporating the ProSomnus precision OAT platform, ProSomnus [PH] offers all the benefits of ProSomnus [IA] and [CA], using a Herbst-style advancement mechanism providing 7.0mm total titration. ProSomnus [PH] provides greater comfort, durability, smaller overall volume, ease of use and efficiency over predicate Herbst-style devices.

ProSomnus™ CA

The ProSomnus CA is brand-new to the world of dental sleep medicine, and it’s the first precision continuous advancement Oral Appliance Therapy device available. This state-of-the-art device expertly combines expanded screw titration with brand-new, forward engineered features for a much more efficient and predictable care experience overall. By using a brand-new, three-dimensional Linear Guide, we can ensure that the left and right titration posts are able to advance at precise angles that are symmetrical to the desired path for each individual patient.

ProSomnus Continuous Advancement Low Profile

The ProSomnus [CA] LP is the only low profile Continuous Advancement OAT Medical Device for OSA. In addition to the ProSomnus platform advantages such as fewer side effects, biocompatible hygienic material, impression-free digital replacements and device customizations, [CA] LP uniquely offers clinicians precision Continuous Advancement without compromising patient comfort. ProSomnus [CA] LP utilizes proprietary technologies to resolve the archform asymmetries, manufacturing variances, bulkiness and other device design limitations of traditional dorsal style Continuous Advancement devices.

ProSomnus MOG

The ProSomnus [MOG] makes it easy to maintain or re-establish the bite in accordance with AADSM Guidelines and select insurance reimbursement codes. Precision milled from digital records, the ProSomnus [MOG] is the only Morning Occlusal Guide that offers peace of mind that the bite can be recaptured for the duration of therapy – even if the initial Morning Occlusal Guide needs to be replaced.

The objective of any [MOG], is to help re-establish the patients MIP after wearing a Mandibular Advancement Device. That can be done many ways. It usually involves a ramp that wedges the mandible back (just as their own teeth will) or it may have some soft material that helps the musculature seat the mandible back into place.

SomnoDent Avant

The SomnoDent Classic is the original innovation in custom oral sleep appliances. It comes in a version that allows more space for the patient’s tongue and is retained with internal medical grade stainless steel ball clasps. The device is comfortable, easy to adjust around dental crowns, and can be tolerated well by persons with a large tongue or claustrophobia when ordered with the option of ‘lingual-less.’

SomnoDent Flex

The SomnoDent Flex is fabricated with the unique SMH BFlex material with a soft inner liner which maintains retention and offers premium patient comfort. It is useful for a patient with short teeth, little undercuts or bridgework. The device requires minimal chairside adjustment. The lateral mechanisms advance in .1mm increments with a total range potential of 5mm. Patients are pleased with the comfort and fit of this appliance and adapt easily.

SomnoDent Classic

SomnoDent Air/Air+

The SomnoDent Air/Air+ is an innovative device with both comfort and high-quality features. It is available with either ball clasp liner or the flex liner. It is easily adjusted chairside. The lateral mechanisms are adjusted with .1mm increments and a total protrusive capability of 5mm. The lateral wings are smooth and provide comfort to the cheeks for the patient who prefers to sleep on their side or with their hands next to their face. This device is one of our most popular items!

SomnoDent Herbst Advance

The SomnoDent Herbst Advance has improved the accuracy and ease of calibrating the jaw position with this design. It is comfortable and easily adjusted, has a high level of patient satisfaction, has a visual calibration indicator for ease of titration, has a generous 8mm range of titration capability, is available with the soft flex liner or ball clasp retention, and is Medicare approved. The SomnoDent Edentulous Herbst Advance option is Medicare approved for those patients who wear a single or complete denture.

EMA Snoring Appliance

The EMA device is custom fabricated by a dental laboratory and uses elastomeric sidebands for a pulling forward action on the lower dental arch. The straps are available in different lengths with three different strengths and should be replaced monthly. The appliance is small and comfortable when fabricated with a flex liner. The appliance is best used for snoring in a patient who does not have obstructive apnea that requires consistent replication of the position of the lower jaw. The appliance is well tolerated by most and should likely last 18-24 months before requiring replacement. Latex free elastic bands must be requested. Patients intolerant to methyl methacrylate should not use this appliance.

TAP (Thornton Adjustable Positioner III)

The TAP (Thornton Adjustable Positioner III) holds the lower jaw forward at a position that prevents the jaw from falling open during the night and collapsing back into the airway. It is easily adjustable with a single vector mechanism at the front acrylic portion of the upper arch. It connects into bars on the lower arch and the jaw is unable to open unless the appliance is dislodged. The acrylic in the posterior section of the appliance doesn’t integrate with the opposing arch, therefore dental changes may be more likely to occur. Persons with reflux should be aware of the constriction that a tight-fitting appliance may cause in the event of a choking or aspiration event. The TAP device may be connected to a CPAP connector to serve as a single unit or the TAP and CPAP can be used concurrently.

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