If you suffer from sleep apnea, it is important to realize that CPAP is not the only way to treat your condition. Here are a few other alternative ways that you can treat your condition instead of or in addition to CPAP. Sometimes, the best way to tackle obstructive sleep apnea or OSA is to use a variety of treatment methods.

#1 Oral Application Therapy

One tool that you can use is oral application therapy. This type of therapy is designed for individuals who have healthy teeth, a low body weight according to a BMI chart and who are on the lower end of the sleep apnea index. It is not designed for individuals with poor oral health or who are overweight. It also works best with supine style OSA and is not for individuals with central OSA. Be sure to talk to your dentist and doctor to see if you fit the criteria for this treatment plan.

This treatment plan uses oral devices that may remind you of a retainer or mouth guard, to help train your jaw to rest in the correct position when you sleep in order to allow you to breathe. It also helps ensure that your tongue and throat are supported while you sleep. Keep in mind that this is a therapy that takes a while to see if it is effective and the right fit for you.

#2 Pillar Procedure

The pillar procedure is a procedure that is performed by your dentist to change the structure of your mouth so that you are able to breath correctly while you sleep. What happens is small inserts are placed into your soft palate in your mouth in order to make your soft palate stiffer. The benefit of doing this is your airway should be more stabilized.

This is a good procedure for individuals who suffer from mild to moderate, but not severe, OSA. If you don't have palatal strength or if you don't have a palatal angle to your OSA, this is not the right treatment for you.

This treatment is great because it doesn't destroy or remove any of the soft tissue in your mouth, it just strengthens it. There are minimal chances for infection or complication, and it is generally seen as a safe surgery. However, you should keep in mind that this surgery alone may not solve your OSA, and may need to be combined with other treatments.

Talk to your doctor and dentist and figure out if either of the above treatment methods may work on your specific type of OSA taking into consideration your overall health as well. You can also check out sites like http://silverstonefamilydental.com.