Dr. Shoha is officially recognized as a Diplomate of Dental Sleep Medicine
Understanding Sleep Apnea
Sleep difficulties are extremely common, and for many people the underlying cause is sleep apnea. It is estimated that about 22 million Americans live with this condition, which can lead to chronic fatigue and poor quality of sleep. Sleep apnea is not just loud snoring or restless nights — it is a serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly becomes shallow or completely stops during sleep.
When we fall asleep, the muscles in the throat naturally relax. For some people, this relaxation, combined with gravity allows the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat to collapse into the airway. This blockage reduces or completely stops airflow, creating breathing pauses. A full pause in breathing is called an apnea, while a partial blockage that restricts airflow is called a hypopnea. These events typically last 10 seconds or more and often cause oxygen levels in the blood to drop.
The brain senses this lack of oxygen and briefly “wakes up” the body just enough to reopen the airway. These arousals are usually so short that the person doesn’t remember them, though the body experiences them over and over again, sometimes hundreds of times per night. In more severe episodes, a person may awaken feeling panicked or choking. Because the sleep cycle is constantly being interrupted, the body cannot enter the deep, restorative stages of sleep needed for healing, brain function, and energy.
In the short term, untreated sleep apnea can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, low energy, irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and slowed reaction times — all of which increase the risk of workplace errors and motor-vehicle accidents. Over time, repeated oxygen drops and fragmented sleep may also place added strain on the cardiovascular and metabolic systems, contributing to more serious long-term health concerns.
Considerations for Sleep Apnea
Use this brief questionnaire and checklist to determine if you might be at risk for sleep apnea.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy is a comfortable and effective treatment option for many patients with sleep apnea. These custom-made devices gently hold the jaw or tongue in a forward position during sleep, helping keep the airway open and preventing the soft tissues at the back of the throat from collapsing. The appliance fits much like a mouthguard and is typically easy to wear, which is why so many people choose it over a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea, we encourage you to contact our office to schedule an evaluation. Our team will work with you to determine whether an oral appliance is right for you and provide treatment designed to improve your sleep, restore your energy, and reduce the serious health risks linked to untreated sleep apnea.
Benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy
- Quiet—no machine noise or in-mask breathing sound
- Simple to clean and care for
- Small, lightweight, and easy to travel with
- No electricity required
- Comfortable and user-friendly
- May reduce or prevent teeth grinding (bruxism)
- No hoses to tangle while you sleep
- No mask to cause skin irritation
- A great option for patients who feel claustrophobic with CPAP
Comparing And Contrasting CPAP And Oral Appliance Therapy
As an airway-focused dental practice, we often find that a custom oral sleep appliance offers a comfortable, practical, and highly effective solution for many patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Unlike CPAP therapy, which relies on a mask, tubing, and continuous airflow, an oral appliance works with your natural anatomy by gently positioning the lower jaw or tongue to help keep the airway open during sleep.
Patients appreciate that the appliance is quiet, compact, easy to clean, and simple to travel with, without the feelings of claustrophobia or skin irritation that can occur with a CPAP mask. Because it feels similar to a small mouthguard, most patients adapt quickly and are more consistent with nightly use.
While CPAP can still be useful for certain severe cases, many individuals experience excellent results and a significantly better quality of sleep with an oral appliance, making it a preferred and more lifestyle-friendly therapy for mild to moderate sleep apnea and CPAP-intolerant patients.
Sleep Appliance Consultation
Creating Your Custom Oral Appliance
The process of creating a custom oral appliance involves several key steps:
- Complete a sleep study (if you do not already have one): Give our office a call and we can help you set up either an at-home test or in-lab test.
- Initial Consultation and Evaluation: Your visit will include a comprehensive examination, including a full set of x-rays and a 3D Airway Scan. The airway scan will sent to a board-certified radiologist, who will provide a comprehensive report on your airway.
- Diagnosis and Treatment Planning: Once Dr. Shoha has all the needed information she will determine the recommended treatment and present that to you.
- Digital Scan Measurements: Once an oral appliance is discussed and decided upon, the dental assistant will take precise scans of your teeth and jaw to create a mold for your custom appliance. These scans are then sent to a dental laboratory.
- Appliance Fabrication: The dental laboratory will use the scans to fabricate a custom-fitted oral appliance using high-quality, bio-compatible materials.
- Fitting and Adjustments: Once the appliance is fabricated, you will return to the office for a fitting. Dr. Shoha will ensure the appliance fits comfortably and makes any necessary adjustments.
- Follow-up and Monitoring: Regular follow-up appointments are essential to monitor the effectiveness of the appliance and make any necessary adjustments. Dr. Shoha will also assess your comfort and compliance with the treatment.
- Titration Testing: After some time wearing your appliance, we will provide you with an at-home sleep test to see the difference in data from before and after of wearing the oral appliance.
