Oral appliances have been shown to effectively decrease symptoms of OSA, but there are some side effects which can lead to low compliance rates.
An oral sleep device or Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) is designed to move your lower jaw forward so your airway can remain open whilst you sleep. As a result some Mandibular Advancement Devices can cause jaw pain or tooth movement as well as hypersalivation.
Overcoming the side effects.
If you have never worn a MAD before, it is important that you introduce the device slowly and increase the length of time you wear it over several weeks. It is advised that you persevere with the appliance for at least 30 days as it can take this long to become comfortable with it. Using the device for the first time and using it for the whole night, may result in discomfort and a bad experience.
Thermoplastic devices which require you to take an impression of your teeth and mouth can help with jaw pain, as can devices which offer mm advancement, such as the Oniris MAD. The Oniris device has mm by mm adjustment, allowing you to get used to each adjustment before moving on to the next, and stopping once you find the perfect level of advancement.