Can all dentists prescribe oral appliances for sleep apnea?

All dentists can prescribe oral sleep appliances. However, most may choose not to do so. Dentists who treat sleep apnea with oral appliances usually have additional training to understand how to treat this sleeping disorder.

Once a sleep study has been completed and a patient has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, the physician supervising the study will make recommendations as to the proper treatment of the sleep apnea. Treatment options will range from CPAP, surgery, an oral appliance to reposition the lower jaw forward or a combination of these recommendations. A dentist, with proper training and understanding of sleep apnea, can then fabricate an oral appliance to position the lower jaw forward opening up the oropharynx, the airway behind the tongue and soft palate. This will assist in proper treatment of the sleep apnea.