If you have decided it’s time to do something about your snoring,your first step should be to verify that you are just snoring and don’t have sleep apnea. But then it’s time to choose a snoring treatment.
This can be hard because there are so many options for snoring treatment and they’re increasing all the time. Here are some things to look for in your snoring treatment to be sure you’re getting the right one for you.
Scientifically Proven
There are many snoring treatments out there that make all kinds of claims about their efficacy. But that doesn’t mean that they actually work. To be sure that your snoring treatment will work, you’ll want to get one that’s been tested and proven to work in clinical trials.
How do you know? You can do the research yourself, trying to track down studies in the large database of medical papers, PubMed. Or you can work with a sleep dentist who knows which treatments have been tested and are most likely to work.
Effective for Your Problem
Another big consideration is knowing that the snoring treatment will be effective for your problem. Snoring can come from several points in your airway, and if a snoring treatment doesn’t match the one that’s causing your snoring, it won’t help you.
For example, nasal strips can be effective if snoring is related to narrow nostrils, but for most people, snoring comes from deeper in the airway, with the soft palate, tongue, or throat.
Professionally Fitted
Treatments are only going to be effective if they’re used properly. This can be very hard to do if you’re just following the brief directions on or inside the box you picked up at the drugstore.
And the truth is that most of these snoring treatments aren’t really designed to be fully customizable. They can’t achieve the level of fit you need to truly be comfortable in them. Studies have shown that only custom sleep apnea appliances are effective. Snoring appliances are probably similar.
Adjustable
A professional fitting ensures the snoring treatment fits your teeth properly and will stay in place without causing injury or irritation. It also ensures the treatment can be effective.
But sometimes you might need to tweak the fit to make sure you’re getting the optimal effectiveness for your snoring. You want your snoring treatment to be adjustable so you can fine tune your treatment for the best results.
Durable
You will be using your snoring treatment every night. And if this treatment device is in your mouth, it can be subjected to some significant force from your teeth. Snoring treatments need to be made of a strong material to make sure they can stand up to the punishment.
You might think that you can get away with buying multiple cheap treatments that don’t last, but these can wear out so fast that you’ll end up spending more in the long run. And consider the nuisance of having to replace them often. Plus, remember how long it took you to get your first snoring treatment? Now think about how much time you’ll spend with snoring untreated while you’re trying to get around to replacing a worn out device.
A Sleep Dentist Can Get the Best Snoring Treatment for You
If you are looking for a device to help control your snoring, a sleep dentist can help you get the best results. With extensive training and experience, they can help match you to the optimal treatment for you, one that meets all the criteria above and more.
If you are looking for a sleep dentist in Omaha to help with snoring or sleep apnea, please call (402) 493-4175 today for an appointment at the Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center.
