Sleep Apnea Treatment

Chronic snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can do more than disrupt your sleep. They can affect your energy, focus, cardiovascular health, and overall quality of life.

If you’re struggling with loud snoring or have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, Eagle Harbor Dental can evaluate whether a custom oral appliance may be an appropriate treatment option for you.

Key Takeaways

Loud or frequent snoring can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), particularly when accompanied by pauses in breathing, gasping, or excessive daytime sleepiness.
Sleep apnea treatment depends on your diagnosis, the severity of your condition, your overall health, and other individual factors.
Custom oral appliances help keep the upper airway open during sleep and may provide an alternative for certain people with OSA, including some who have difficulty using CPAP therapy.
Eagle Harbor Dental can evaluate patients with an OSA diagnosis to determine whether custom oral appliance therapy may be appropriate as part of their treatment plan.

Sleep apnea causes repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep. The most common form, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs when tissues in the upper airway narrow or block airflow while you sleep. These repeated disruptions can affect sleep quality and contribute to broader health concerns.

Treatment depends on the type and severity of sleep apnea, your overall health, and other factors. Options may include positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, custom oral appliances, lifestyle changes, or medical and surgical approaches. The goal is to find a treatment that effectively manages your condition and works with your needs.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring doesn’t necessarily mean you have sleep apnea. However, loud or frequent snoring can be a warning sign of OSA, particularly when it occurs alongside gasping or choking during sleep, witnessed pauses in breathing, morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, or excessive daytime sleepiness.

If you or your sleep partner notices these symptoms, talk with a healthcare provider about a sleep evaluation. Sleep apnea cannot be diagnosed from snoring alone. An appropriate medical evaluation and sleep testing can help determine whether OSA is present and guide treatment decisions.

A Comfortable Treatment Option

Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance

A custom sleep apnea oral appliance is a small, removable device worn during sleep to help keep the upper airway open. Oral appliance therapy may be appropriate for certain patients with obstructive sleep apnea, including those who prefer an alternative to CPAP or have difficulty tolerating PAP therapy.

Unlike CPAP, an oral appliance doesn’t require a mask, tubing, electricity, or pressurized airflow. The appliance is custom-made to fit your mouth, making it a convenient option for many patients. However, your diagnosis, oral health, bite, and other treatment considerations determine whether oral appliance therapy is right for you.

How Does an Oral Appliance Work to Treat Sleep Apnea?

During sleep, the muscles and soft tissues around the upper airway relax. In people with obstructive sleep apnea, this can allow the airway to narrow or become blocked, interrupting normal breathing.

Most custom sleep apnea oral appliances gently position the lower jaw forward. This helps create more room behind the tongue and may reduce airway obstruction while you sleep. Other types of oral appliances hold the tongue forward instead. The appropriate device depends on your individual needs and treatment plan.

Illustration showing how obstructive sleep apnea narrows the upper airway

Benefits of Using an Oral Appliance to Treat Sleep Apnea

For patients who are appropriate candidates, custom oral appliance therapy offers several practical advantages over treatments that require a mask or machine.

Custom fit: Each appliance is made to fit your mouth and can be adjusted to support your treatment needs.
Comfort: Many patients appreciate the low-profile design and the freedom from wearing a CPAP mask or tubing.
No pressurized airflow: Oral appliances don’t rely on air pressure, which may appeal to people who have difficulty tolerating PAP therapy.
Quiet and convenient: An oral appliance operates silently and doesn’t require electricity or extensive setup.
Easy to travel with: The compact design makes an oral appliance convenient to pack and use away from home.
Potential symptom improvement: Effective oral appliance therapy may reduce snoring and breathing interruptions. Some patients may also experience improvements in daytime sleepiness.

Although these benefits can make oral appliances appealing, they aren’t appropriate for everyone with obstructive sleep apnea. Comfort and convenience don’t necessarily mean a device is effectively controlling OSA. Proper fitting, adjustments, and follow-up sleep testing are important parts of treatment.

Already Diagnosed With Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

If CPAP has been difficult to use or you’re interested in exploring another treatment option, Eagle Harbor Dental can evaluate whether a custom oral appliance may fit your needs.

Ask About Oral Appliance Therapy

Easy as 1-2-3

Getting Your Custom Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance

Custom oral appliance therapy involves more than choosing a device. Evaluation, proper fitting, and follow-up care help ensure your appliance is appropriate for your needs and effectively manages your obstructive sleep apnea.

1. Evaluate Your Needs

After an OSA diagnosis, we evaluate your teeth, gums, bite, jaw, and oral health to determine whether an oral appliance is appropriate for your treatment needs.

2. Customize Your Appliance

If oral appliance therapy is appropriate, we have a device custom-made to fit your mouth and adjust it to support your treatment plan and comfort.

3. Confirm Your Results

We monitor the appliance’s fit, comfort, and effects on your teeth and bite. Follow-up sleep testing, coordinated with your sleep-care provider, is recommended to confirm that the appliance effectively treats your OSA.

Other Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

Oral appliance therapy is one option for managing obstructive sleep apnea, but it isn’t the right treatment for every patient. Your healthcare provider may recommend PAP therapy, lifestyle changes, medical management, surgery, or a combination of approaches depending on your diagnosis, overall health, and response to treatment.

CPAP and Other PAP Therapy

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a common and effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. PAP therapy delivers pressurized air through a mask to help prevent the upper airway from collapsing during sleep. CPAP is particularly important for many patients with moderate-to-severe OSA, although the most appropriate form of PAP therapy depends on individual treatment needs.

Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes may help some people manage obstructive sleep apnea. Depending on your health and contributing risk factors, your healthcare provider may recommend reaching or maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol, stopping smoking, or changing your sleeping position.

These changes can support better sleep and overall health, but they shouldn’t replace prescribed OSA treatment when additional therapy is necessary.

Surgery

For selected patients, surgery may be considered when the anatomy of the upper airway contributes to obstruction or when other treatments haven’t provided adequate results or haven’t been tolerated. The location and cause of the airway obstruction help determine which procedure, if any, may be appropriate.

Medical Management

Medical treatment may address health conditions that contribute to sleep apnea. For example, certain adults with obesity and moderate-to-severe OSA may qualify for medical weight-management treatment. A qualified medical provider can evaluate eligibility, explain the potential benefits and risks, and determine whether this approach fits the patient’s broader treatment plan.

The goal of sleep apnea treatment isn’t simply to find the most convenient option. It’s to find an approach you can use consistently that also effectively controls breathing interruptions during sleep.

Introducing the Fotona LightWalker Max

Laser-Assisted Care for Snoring and Airway Concerns

For selected patients, Eagle Harbor Dental may incorporate the Fotona LightWalker Max laser into a broader airway-care plan. This technology delivers laser energy to soft tissues in the mouth and throat and may help reduce tissue vibration associated with snoring.

Laser-assisted care for snoring is different from established treatments for obstructive sleep apnea. Laser treatment should not be considered a substitute for an OSA diagnosis, CPAP, or prescribed oral appliance therapy. Evidence supporting laser procedures for treating OSA remains limited, and improvements in snoring alone don’t establish that breathing interruptions have been controlled.

Uses a non-surgical approach to treat selected oral and throat soft tissues
May reduce soft-tissue vibration associated with snoring in some patients
Requires no incisions
May complement a broader airway-care plan for appropriately selected patients

Your symptoms, sleep apnea diagnosis, anatomy, and overall treatment needs help determine whether laser-assisted care may have a role in your care. If you have OSA, effective management of the breathing disorder remains the priority.

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Fotona laser equipment used for laser-assisted airway care

Comfortable amenities at Eagle Harbor Dental

Your Comfort Is Our Priority

Could an Oral Appliance Be Right for You?

Custom oral appliance therapy may be appropriate for certain adults with obstructive sleep apnea, including patients who prefer an alternative to CPAP or have difficulty using PAP therapy. A confirmed diagnosis, the severity of your OSA, and your medical and dental health are all important parts of determining whether an appliance is suitable.

We also evaluate your teeth, gums, jaw function, and bite to determine whether your mouth can comfortably and safely support an appliance. Existing dental problems, jaw symptoms, and previous treatment experiences may affect which options make sense for you.

Having difficulty tolerating CPAP doesn’t automatically mean an oral appliance is the right choice. However, for appropriate patients, it may provide an effective treatment option without a mask or pressurized airflow. We can coordinate with your sleep-care provider to help determine whether oral appliance therapy fits your treatment plan.

An evaluation is the first step, not a commitment to treatment. We’ll explain how oral appliance therapy works, discuss its potential benefits and limitations, and help you understand the next steps.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How Do I Know if I Have Sleep Apnea?

Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can include loud or frequent snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, witnessed pauses in breathing, morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, and excessive daytime sleepiness. However, symptoms alone cannot confirm OSA. A medical evaluation and appropriate sleep testing can determine whether sleep apnea is present. If you’re concerned, talk with a healthcare provider about arranging an evaluation.

Can I Tell if I Stop Breathing During Sleep?

Not necessarily. Because breathing interruptions occur while you’re asleep, a sleep partner may notice them before you do. You might instead experience indirect symptoms such as waking up gasping, morning headaches, poor-quality sleep, or excessive daytime sleepiness. A healthcare provider can determine whether you need a sleep study or another evaluation.

Does Snoring Mean I Have Sleep Apnea?

No. Many people snore without having obstructive sleep apnea. Frequent or loud snoring is more concerning when it occurs with gasping, witnessed pauses in breathing, excessive daytime sleepiness, or other symptoms. If you’re concerned that your snoring may indicate OSA, a healthcare provider can evaluate your symptoms and recommend appropriate testing.

Are Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea Comfortable to Wear?

Many patients find custom sleep apnea oral appliances comfortable and convenient, although some need time to adjust to wearing one. Temporary jaw discomfort, tooth tenderness, or changes in saliva production may occur. Your dentist can make adjustments to improve comfort and will monitor your teeth, bite, jaw function, and appliance fit during follow-up visits.

Can an Oral Appliance Replace CPAP?

For some people with obstructive sleep apnea, a custom oral appliance can provide an appropriate alternative to CPAP. The decision depends on OSA severity, overall health, oral health, treatment preferences, and tolerance of PAP therapy. Your sleep-care provider and dentist can determine whether an oral appliance fits your needs. Follow-up sleep testing is recommended to confirm that the appliance effectively controls your sleep apnea.

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