Loud snoring, morning headaches and daytime tiredness can be signs of sleep apnea. A comfortable custom mouthpiece may help you, and your partner, finally sleep well.
With obstructive sleep apnea, soft tissue at the back of the throat blocks your airway while you sleep, so breathing stops and starts again and again.
Most people don't know it's happening. They just feel tired. Left untreated, sleep apnea has been linked to heart problems, so it's worth checking if the signs sound familiar.
A custom sleep appliance fits over your teeth like a sports mouthguard and holds your lower jaw slightly forward. That small shift keeps your airway open while you sleep.
Patients tell us they snore less, sleep more comfortably and feel more rested during the day. For many, it's an easier alternative to a CPAP mask.
Loud snoring, restless nights, and waking up tired despite a full night in bed can all point to sleep apnea, a condition that affects far more than your sleep. Dentists play a bigger role in treating it than most people realize. Here's what sleep apnea is, how we help, and what oral appliance therapy involves.
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the soft tissues at the back of the throat relax during sleep and block the airway, causing breathing to stop and restart many times a night. Each pause jolts your body slightly awake, so you never reach deep, restorative sleep. Over time, untreated apnea is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and daytime accidents. Snoring is often the most obvious sign, but not everyone who snores has apnea.
Common signs include loud snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, morning headaches, a dry mouth on waking, daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. Often it's a bed partner who notices first. Teeth grinding and a worn, flattened bite can be clues as well, which is why we sometimes spot the signs during a routine dental exam.
A definitive diagnosis comes from a sleep study, which can often be done at home with a small device you wear overnight. We can help arrange a study and coordinate with a sleep physician. At our Jupiter office, we also evaluate your airway, jaw, and bite, and can take imaging that shows the shape of your airway to help guide treatment.
For mild to moderate apnea, or for patients who can't tolerate a CPAP machine, a custom oral appliance is often the answer. It looks like a slim mouthguard and gently holds your lower jaw slightly forward during sleep, keeping the airway open. It's quiet, portable, and comfortable for most people within a few nights. We fit and adjust it precisely and follow up to make sure it's working.
Oral appliance therapy is frequently covered by medical insurance rather than dental, since apnea is a medical condition. Coverage depends on your plan and your diagnosis. We'll help you understand your benefits and give you a personalized quote before you commit. Our financing options and in-house dental plan are also available.
If you snore heavily, wake up unrefreshed, or someone has noticed you stop breathing at night, it's worth talking to us. Sleep apnea is very treatable, and patients often tell us they feel like a different person within weeks of getting proper rest.
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1317 West Indiantown Road, Suite 200
Jupiter, Florida 33458
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