Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance Therapy in Bethlehem, PA

A custom appliance for sleep apnea your physician has already diagnosed.

Sleep apnea oral appliance therapy is a custom mouthpiece worn during sleep that holds the lower jaw and tongue forward to keep the airway open. At Always About Smiles, our Bethlehem, PA dental office, I make that appliance to your own measurements once your physician has diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea and recommended one.

Wearing it while you sleep

The appliance looks a little like a sports mouthguard in two pieces, one over the upper teeth and one over the lower. Worn while you sleep, it holds the lower jaw and the tongue slightly forward, which keeps the airway from closing as the throat muscles relax. It goes in at bedtime and comes out in the morning. Nothing else changes about how you sleep.

Your physician's part, and ours

A physician diagnoses obstructive sleep apnea, ordinarily through a sleep study — a sleep center or your own doctor is the only place that diagnosis can come from. My part starts after that. If your physician recommends an oral appliance, whether instead of CPAP or alongside it, I take the measurements and make the appliance, and I'll send my notes back to them.

What to expect in the process

The first visit is an examination and impressions or a scan of your teeth, so the appliance is built to your own measurements rather than trimmed down from a stock size. When it's ready, we fit it, and you take it home for a few nights before we look at how it's settling. Patients come in from across the Lehigh Valley for that fitting and the follow-ups.

Do I need a sleep study before you can make an appliance?

Yes. A physician diagnoses obstructive sleep apnea, ordinarily through a sleep study, and that diagnosis comes before the appliance. I don't diagnose it and I won't tell you that you have it. If nobody is looking at your sleep yet, call the office and we'll help you get that conversation started with the right doctor.

Will an oral appliance replace my CPAP?

That's your physician's call, not mine. Many people find CPAP hard to live with, and an oral appliance is smaller, quieter and needs no power supply — which is why a physician sometimes recommends one instead, and sometimes alongside. Whatever they decide, I make the appliance to your measurements and report back to them.

How much does sleep apnea oral appliance therapy cost in Bethlehem, PA?

The fee depends on the appliance your physician recommends and on what your teeth and jaw need, so you get a written figure after the examination and before anything is made. We're fee-for-service, we file your claim for you, we're good at it, and we'll push to get you reimbursed. Financing is available.

Is the appliance comfortable to sleep in?

Most people are used to it inside a week or two. Because it's made to your own measurements, it sits on the teeth rather than pressing into the gums, and there's no mask and no hose. Some people notice a little jaw tightness or extra saliva for the first few nights, and that usually settles on its own.

Does an oral appliance quiet snoring as well?

Often, yes, because the same forward position that keeps the airway open is what settles the noise. Your partner is usually the first to notice. I won't promise silence, and I won't promise you anything about the apnea itself — measuring that is your physician's part, not mine.

What happens if the appliance stops fitting?

Bring it with you to your cleaning visits and we'll look at how it's wearing and how it's sitting. Teeth shift over the years and appliances wear, so this is something we check rather than something you have to notice yourself. If it needs remaking, I'll tell you plainly what that involves.

Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances from a Dentist

  • Custom-made so it sits perfectly on your teeth
  • No mask, no hose and no power supply, so a night away from home stays simple
  • Rechecked for fit and function at every cleaning
  • Corrects tongue and jaw posture for better breathing

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can you tell me whether I have sleep apnea?

    No. That diagnosis belongs to a physician, ordinarily after a sleep study, and I won't put a name to what I'm seeing in your mouth. What I can do is listen to what you and your partner have noticed and help you get in front of the right doctor.

  • How long does an oral appliance last?

    Several years is typical, though it varies with how firmly you grind and how your teeth change. We look at it when you come in for cleanings. Oral appliances aren't part of our Peace of Mind Limited Dental Warranty, and I'd rather you heard that from me than found it out later.

  • Do I need to wear it every night?

    Yes, that's the idea, because it only does its work while it's in your mouth. Keep it in its case by the bed and it becomes part of getting ready for sleep, much like a retainer. If a night gets missed, nothing you've gained is undone.

  • Could an appliance change the way my teeth meet?

    It can, for some people, which is why we look at how your teeth are meeting at every visit and not only at the appliance. Small changes are usually manageable when somebody notices them early, and I'll tell you what I'm seeing as we go along.

  • Can my teenager wear an oral appliance?

    That's a conversation for their physician first, because a growing jaw changes the picture and any breathing concern in a child belongs with their doctor. Raise it at their cleaning visit and I'll tell you honestly what I can help with and what I can't.