Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the tongue and soft tissue collapse into the airway during sleep. Breathing stops, the brain jolts you awake just enough to restart it, and this repeats dozens of times an hour. You wake up tired, your partner hears the snoring, and over years it raises blood pressure and strains the heart.
Signs you may have it
- Loud snoring, or a partner who has seen you stop breathing
- Waking unrefreshed, morning headaches, dry mouth
- Falling asleep in meetings or while driving
- High blood pressure that is hard to control
- Teeth that are worn or cracked from nighttime clenching
How oral appliance therapy works
The appliance looks like a pair of thin sports mouthguards joined together. It moves the lower jaw forward a few millimeters, which pulls the tongue base forward and opens the airway. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends oral appliances for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea and for patients with severe apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP.
- Diagnosis
Sleep apnea is diagnosed by a physician from a sleep study. If you have not had one, we can coordinate a home sleep test with your doctor. - Fitting
We scan your teeth and record the ideal jaw position. The appliance is custom-made and typically ready in two to three weeks. - Adjustment
Over several short visits we advance the appliance gradually until snoring stops and you wake rested. - Confirmation
A follow-up sleep test with the appliance in place confirms it is doing the job, and your physician gets the results.
Medical insurance, not dental. Oral appliances for diagnosed sleep apnea are usually billed to medical insurance, including Medicare. We help with the paperwork.
Common questions
Is it as effective as CPAP?
CPAP is more powerful on paper, but it only works if you wear it, and about half of patients stop. An appliance you actually use every night often beats a machine in the closet.
Will it hurt my jaw?
Some jaw or tooth soreness in the first weeks is common and fades. We adjust the appliance in small steps to keep it comfortable.
Does it stop snoring without apnea?
Yes. The same appliance treats simple snoring, though a sleep study is still worth doing first to rule out apnea.