A Decade of Sleep Apnea Treatment: What Happens After 10 Years of CPAP or Oral Appliance Therapy?
If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you may be wondering:
“Which treatment will work best long-term — CPAP or an oral appliance?”
Now we finally have a real-world answer.
A 10-year follow-up study looked at patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who used either CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or a mandibular advancement device (MAD) — a custom oral appliance that repositions your jaw to keep your airway open.
What Did the Study Find?
✅ Both treatments worked.
✅ Both treatments improved sleep quality and reduced apnea events.
✅ Patients stuck with their treatments for up to 10 years.
✅ Satisfaction scores were high — both groups rated their treatment above 8 out of 10.
(Source: Uniken Venema et al., 2020)
CPAP vs. Oral Appliance: The Key Differences
| Factor | CPAP | Oral Appliance (MAD) |
|---|---|---|
| AHI Reduction (10 yrs) | More significant (3.4/hr) | Still effective (9.9/hr) |
| Patient Satisfaction | 8.2 / 10 | 8.5 / 10 |
| Adherence (10 yrs) | 46% still using CPAP | 35% still using MAD |
| Sleepiness Improvement | Significant | Significant |
| Side Effects | Device comfort, dryness | Minor bite/jaw changes over time |
👉 AHI = Apnea-Hypopnea Index (number of times your breathing is interrupted per hour)
Why This Study Matters
Most sleep apnea studies last a few months. This one followed real patients for a full decade — showing what actually works over time, not just in a lab.
And while CPAP reduced AHI slightly more, oral appliances still gave excellent results — and patients were just as happy using them.
What This Means for You
If you’ve tried CPAP but struggle with the mask or airflow, you have another proven option. Oral appliance therapy:
Is easier to wear
Still improves your oxygen levels
Can give you lasting relief — even 10 years later
In fact, patients using oral appliances in this study wore them an average of 7.3 hours per night!
The Bottom Line
Sleep apnea is a long-term condition — and now we know that both CPAP and oral appliances can offer long-term results.
If your CPAP isn’t working for you, or you want a simpler option, talk to your sleep dentist about a custom-fit oral appliance. It might just be the key to better sleep for the next 10 years.
Source:
Uniken Venema JAM, Doff MHJ, Joffe-Sokolova D, et al. Long-term obstructive sleep apnea therapy: a 10-year follow-up of mandibular advancement device and continuous positive airway pressure. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(3):353–359.https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.8204