Review Of Oral Appliances

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State Of The Art Oral Appliances Are Customised And Adjustable

Custom-made adjustable oral appliances, commonly known as sleep apnoea/snoring mouth guards, are now regarded by sleep physicians, and experts in the field, as the best available treatment for overcoming snoring and, along with the CPAP machine, one of the two main treatments for sleep apnoea.

Man Sleeping Wearing 3D Printed Nylon Oral Appliance

The main difference to CPAP is that oral appliances are far more comfortable, easy to use and travel with. Oral appliances are custom made and adjustable in order to open the airway and overcome snoring, sleep apnoea and tiredness.

Man Sleeping Wearing CPAP Machine

A Revolution In Oral Appliances

Custom-made 3D Printed Nylon Appliances

Using the latest generation technology, 3D printed Nylon can be made to a thickness of 0.5mm, resulting in unprecedented comfort and accuracy of fit. Nylon appliances are also virtually unbreakable in the mouth. 3D printed nylon is the new standard of care in oral appliances and is being used exclusively at SleepWise Clinic.

These are examples of state of the art 3D printed appliances.

3D's Sleep Advance Oral Appliance

Traditional Acrylic Appliances

Acrylic oral appliances have been used for many years and have been an effective form of treatment. The main problem is that as the acrylic material is brittle and subject to fractures, the appliances need to be relatively thick, particularly when compared to nylon.  While there are still some clinics using traditional acrylic for their appliances, this material is becoming obsolete.

Over The Counter (Boil and Bite Devices)

The other category is the ‘over the counter’ devices, also known as boil and bite devices. They generally have no, or only a limited way of adjusting the appliance to find the optimal position of the lower jaw.

The main problem with the boil and bite devices is that being one size fits all they need to be large in order to fit all sizes of people’s jaws. This makes them far bulkier than they need to be. Another problem is that because of the softness of the material they tend to fall o the teeth and don’t tend to stay in place during sleep

Comparing Oral Appliances For Snoring And Sleep Apnoea

The following table compares custom made 3D Printed Nylon appliances, custom made acrylic appliances and over the counter ‘boil and bite’ devices.

Click the green tabs to compare the oral appliance features.

Features Custom-made 3D Printed Nylon Appliances (SleepWise) Custom-made Acrylic Appliance Boil and Bite Device
Average thickness 1.5 mm 4 mm 7 mm
Comfort
Strength
Accuracy of fit
Effectiveness
Usual warranty for damage 3 years 12 months 3 months
Research-backed /Evidence-based Yes Yes No
Manufactured Australia Commonly Overseas Commonly Overseas
Clinical delivery Dentist / Sleep Physician Dentist / Sleep Physician No
Product lifespan 6 plus years 3 plus years Replace often
Health insurance benefits Yes Yes No
Average thickness 1.5 mm
Comfort
Strength
Accuracy of fit
Effectiveness
Usual warranty for damage 3 years
Research-backed /Evidence-based Yes
Manufactured Australia
Clinical delivery Dentist / Sleep Physician
Product lifespan 6 plus years
Health insurance benefits Yes
Average thickness 4 mm
Comfort
Strength
Accuracy of fit
Effectiveness
Usual warranty for damage 12 months
Research-backed /Evidence-based Yes
Manufactured Commonly Overseas
Clinical delivery Dentist / Sleep Physician
Product lifespan 3 plus years
Health insurance benefits Yes
Average thickness 7 mm
Comfort
Strength
Accuracy of fit
Effectiveness
Usual warranty for damage 3 months
Research-backed /Evidence-based No
Manufactured Commonly Overseas
Clinical delivery No
Product lifespan Replace often
Health insurance benefits No

The Latest 3D Scanning Technology

SleepWise Clinic uses the latest intraoral scanning, in which an image of the patient’s teeth is created using 3D scanning technology. This means no more messy impressions or moulds.

The 3D technology is unmatched in its accuracy, and patients undergo an easy and comfortable procedure, after which the appliance is then produced and ready to be fitted 2-3 weeks following the initial consultation.
 Learn more about the professional fitting process.

Choosing The Best Oral Appliance For You

At SleepWise Clinic we will assess which design of oral appliance is best for your specific needs. No two appliances are made the same, with each design offering a unique set of benefits and functionalities.

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