Most dental devices are acrylic and fit inside your mouth, much like an athletic mouth guard or orthodontic appliance. Some others fit around your head and chin to adjust the position of your lower jaw. Two common oral devices are the Mandibular Repositioning Device and the Tongue Retaining Device. These devices open your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep.
While oral devices are less cumbersome than CPAP and relatively simple to use, they are only effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea. There are also a number of troubling side effects from using this type of treatment – soreness; damage to/permanent change in position of the jaw, teeth, and mouth; saliva build-up; and nausea. It is vitally important to get fitted for these devices by a dentist that specializes in sleep apnea, and continue to see the dentist on a regular basis to monitor for any dental problems that may occur.