# Anyone using a dental device for sleep apnea?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-using-a-dental-device-for-sleep-apnea/425845>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [November 9, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-using-a-dental-device-for-sleep-apnea/425845 "2007-11-09T22:59:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-using-a-dental-device-for-sleep-apnea/425845/1 "2007-11-09T22:59:20Z")

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My husband has obstructive sleep apnea but just can’t seem to sleep with a CPAP machine on. He’s already an insomniac.

I didn’t know about the dental devices that hold your lower jaw in place until five minutes ago. Does anyone know anything about them?

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**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-using-a-dental-device-for-sleep-apnea/425845/2 "2007-11-10T03:03:03Z")

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It worked quite well for my Dad, until one of this occasional gum/jaw infections shifted his teeth slightly, so now the dental splint doesn’t fit. I don’t recall him having problems getting used to it. Caring for it is similar to dentures or a retainer: brush and rinse your teeth before putting it in for the night, brush/soak it in the morning.

The fun part, as I remember correctly, was getting insurance to pay for it. Medical said it was a dental device. Dental said it was a medical device. Eventually insurance paid for it, but I can’t remember which coverage did.

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