Treatment for Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Oral appliances used for the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea give patients a convenient, portable, comfortable, and very effective way to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.
Dr. Schleicher has found oral appliances often to be the best course of treatment for any level of snoring, as well as for mild to severe sleep apnea, especially if patients prefer not to use a CPAP machine, which can be cumbersome, uncomfortable, and difficult to keep clean.
Customized Oral Appliances
A wide variety of customized oral appliances are available, and each is fitted to the patient based upon mouth size, teeth, previous dental work, etc.
Each patient receives personal instruction on use and care of using an oral appliance.
Dr. Schleicher Offers the Nation’s Best Brands of Oral Appliances
SomnoDent AVANT
SomnoDent® Avant™ is our most comfortable appliance ever. The upper and lower splints are designed with the latest Computer Aided Design software and are milled using a single piece of pre-cured dental acrylic. The precuring process improves the flexural strength of the material by 18% – reducing the number of breakages and remakes that can eat into your chair time.
SomnoDent Fusion
SomnoDent® Fusion is traditionally made from dental acrylic, and then we add our Bflex soft liner for unsurpassed comfort. The design of the SomnoDent® Fusion includes replaceable wings for enhanced protrusion without having to reset the bite. The wings, and the screw adjustments, allow you or your patient to set the appliance in the most comfortable and effective position for their treatment.
Prosomnus
Prosomnus is a comfortable and very easy-to-use oral appliance to safely help alleviate snoring and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. This lower jaw advancement appliance will help patients wake up better rested and energized.
SomnoDent®
This two-piece, dorsal-fin-style oral appliance is custom-made and -fitted for each patient. It is adjustable and also convertible for patients with complete upper dentures and/or partial upper or lower dentures. By moving the lower jaw slightly forward when worn while sleeping, this oral appliance provides a continuously open airway.
TAP®
The TAP® holds the patient’s lower jaw in a forward and closed position, comfortably preventing it from falling open during sleep. This action reduces snoring by maintaining a clear airway and improving breathing for sleep apnea management.
Panthera
A sleeping person must make a concerted effort to breathe in order for an adequate respiratory flow to be maintained. The Panthera opens the airway by moving the lower jaw forward to a comfortable position so that there is no interrupted or labored breathing while sleeping.
Herbst
Allowing patients to move laterally and vertically without disengaging the appliance, the Herbst has been proven to be effective treatment for snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. This is a particularly good option for fitting over existing partial dentures, though the metal sliding piston arms can bother some users.
Klearway
The Klearway oral appliance keeps the teeth together while holding the lower jaw and tongue forward during sleep. This opens the wearer’s airway. The Klearway has been successfully used for years.
Its major drawback would be bulk and the placement of the adjustment mechanism in the roof of the mouth, which can be uncomfortable for some. Dr. Schleicher can fit you with a new Klearway, or if you are already a user, we can make you a new one when replacement is needed.