General Dentistry
Sleep Apnea Treatment
A small, quiet oral appliance that helps you breathe, and sleep, through the night.
What this is, in plain language
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the soft tissues at the back of the throat relax during sleep and narrow the airway, briefly interrupting breathing, sometimes dozens of times an hour. The signs are familiar: loud snoring, gasping awakenings, morning headaches, a dry mouth, and daytime tiredness that coffee never quite fixes. Left untreated, apnea strains the heart and raises blood pressure, so it deserves real attention, delivered calmly.
Dentists do not diagnose sleep apnea; that requires a sleep study ordered by a physician, often done comfortably at home. What Dr. Holt provides is one of its most livable treatments: a custom oral appliance that holds your lower jaw slightly forward during sleep, keeping the airway open. It resembles a slim retainer, makes no noise, needs no electricity or hose, and travels in a pocket. For mild to moderate apnea, and for people who cannot tolerate CPAP, it is often the treatment that finally gets worn every night.
The process is unhurried and coordinated. If you have not had a sleep study, we help arrange one with your physician. Once you have a diagnosis, we scan your teeth, have the appliance custom made, and fit it precisely, then adjust it gradually over a few visits until your airway is supported and your jaw stays comfortable. We coordinate with your sleep physician throughout, including follow-up testing to confirm the appliance is doing its job.
This might be right for you if
- You have been diagnosed with mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
- You have tried CPAP and simply cannot sleep with it.
- Your partner reports loud snoring or pauses in your breathing.
- You wake tired, with headaches or a dry mouth, most mornings.
- You travel often and want treatment that fits in a pocket.
What to expect
Treatment always follows a proper diagnosis, and we coordinate with your physician throughout. The process involves:
- A conversation about your sleep, snoring, and daytime energy, and a look at your airway and bite
- Help arranging a sleep study with your physician if you have not had one
- A digital scan of your teeth once you have a diagnosis
- A custom appliance that holds your lower jaw gently forward, fitted precisely
- Gradual adjustment over a few visits, then follow-up testing to confirm it is working
How it unfolds, step by step
Conversation and screening
We talk through your sleep, snoring, and daytime energy, and examine your airway, jaw, and teeth to see whether oral appliance therapy is likely to suit you.
A proper diagnosis
If you have not had a sleep study, we coordinate with your physician to arrange one, often a simple home test. Treatment always follows diagnosis, not the other way around.
Scanning and crafting
We take a digital scan of your teeth and bite, and a specialized lab crafts your appliance: two slim, connected trays that guide your lower jaw gently forward.
Fitting and titration
We fit the appliance and then advance it in small increments over a few visits, finding the position that opens your airway while keeping your jaw comfortable.
Confirming it works
Once you are sleeping better, we coordinate follow-up testing with your sleep physician to confirm the appliance is controlling your apnea, then see you periodically to check fit and wear.
Caring for it afterward
The appliance works only when it is worn and well kept, so a small routine goes a long way:
- Wear it every night, even for naps when apnea is a concern
- Rinse it each morning and brush it gently with a soft toothbrush and mild soap
- Do the morning bite exercises we show you to let your jaw resettle
- Store it dry in its case, away from heat that can warp it
- Keep your follow-ups so we can adjust the fit and coordinate testing with your sleep physician
Questions everyone asks
Yes, in partnership with your physician. A sleep physician makes the diagnosis through a sleep study; a trained dentist then designs, fits, and adjusts the oral appliance. Oral appliance therapy is a recognized first-line treatment for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea and for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP.
CPAP remains the most powerful treatment, especially for severe apnea, but only if it is actually used. An oral appliance is silent, portable, and far easier to sleep with, and for mild to moderate apnea its real-world results are often comparable simply because people wear it every night.
Most patients adjust within a week or two. It feels similar to wearing a slim retainer, and any early jaw stiffness in the morning typically fades as your muscles adapt. Because we advance it gradually across several visits, your jaw is never pushed further than it is ready for.
In most cases, yes, and often dramatically. Snoring comes from the same narrowed airway that causes apnea, so holding the jaw forward quiets both. Many partners notice the difference on the very first night, which tends to make the appliance popular on both sides of the bed.
Often, yes. Because it treats a diagnosed medical condition, coverage usually comes through medical insurance rather than dental insurance. Our team helps with the documentation from your sleep study and physician, and we give you a clear picture of costs before anything is made.
Often explored together
Wondering if sleep apnea treatment is right for you?
Bring us the question. A conversation costs nothing and you will leave with a straight answer either way.