Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance Therapy in Redmond, WA
A Quieter Alternative to CPAP
A custom appliance you wear at night instead of a mask and hose. For mild to moderate sleep apnea.
When Snoring Is More Than Snoring
Obstructive sleep apnea affects a striking share of adults — by most estimates around one in four at some point in life — and many more live with chronic snoring. Both disrupt sleep, leave you tired through the day, and are associated with longer-term concerns including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke risk. Plenty of people have it for years without knowing, because the person who notices is usually sleeping next to them.
We offer oral appliance therapy as an alternative or a supplement to CPAP. It is not a replacement for a diagnosis: treatment starts with a sleep study and a confirmed diagnosis from a sleep specialist or physician. Once that is in hand, we can fit an appliance and coordinate with your medical team so it fits into your broader care plan.
Signs worth getting evaluated
- Loud, chronic snoring, especially with pauses in breathing
- Waking up gasping, choking, or short of breath
- Daytime fatigue that sleep does not seem to fix
- Morning headaches or a dry, sore throat on waking
- Difficulty concentrating, irritability, or low mood
- A partner who has stopped sleeping in the same room
What Oral Appliance Therapy Is
Oral appliance therapy uses a custom-fitted device, worn only at night, to keep your airway open while you sleep. It looks similar to a sports mouth guard or an orthodontic retainer, and it works by holding your lower jaw in a slightly forward position. That forward position stops the soft tissue at the back of your throat from collapsing into the airway — which is what causes both the breathing pauses and the loud snoring.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends oral appliance therapy as a first-line treatment for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea and for snoring. For patients with severe sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP, an appliance can still be a meaningful option, ideally in coordination with your sleep physician.
A sleep apnea appliance is not a night guard
The two look similar and are easy to confuse. A night guard protects your teeth from grinding; it does nothing for your airway. A sleep apnea appliance repositions your jaw to keep you breathing. Grinding and sleep apnea frequently occur together, so it is worth telling us if you are dealing with both.
Oral Appliance vs. CPAP
CPAP — continuous positive airway pressure — is the best-known sleep apnea treatment, using pressurized air through a mask to hold the airway open. It is highly effective when it is actually used. That last part is the catch: long-term CPAP compliance sits at roughly 50 percent, because many patients cannot get past the mask, the noise, the hose, or the sheer inconvenience of traveling with it.
An oral appliance is small, silent, and portable. For mild to moderate cases it often provides effective treatment without any of the hardware. For severe cases, or where CPAP intolerance is already established, it can be a practical alternative your sleep physician may support. The best treatment is the one you will actually use every night.
An oral appliance may be a good fit if
- You have been diagnosed with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea
- You snore loudly enough to disrupt your sleep or your partner’s
- You have tried CPAP and cannot tolerate the mask, hose, or pressure
- You travel frequently and need something portable
- You would simply prefer a quieter, simpler option
We will also tell you honestly when an appliance is not the right answer — severe apnea managed well on CPAP is usually best left alone.
How the Process Works
Step 1: Sleep study and diagnosis
Treatment begins with a confirmed diagnosis from a sleep specialist or physician. If you have not been evaluated yet, we can refer you to a trusted sleep clinic on the Eastside — many sleep studies can now be done at home rather than overnight in a lab.
Step 2: Consultation
Once you have your results, we review the diagnosis together, discuss whether oral appliance therapy suits your case, and answer your questions. If we recommend moving ahead, you will know the cost, the timeline, and what to expect before you commit.
Step 3: Digital scan and design
We take a digital scan of your teeth and bite to design an appliance that fits precisely. Fit is everything here — it is the difference between a device you wear every night and one that ends up in a drawer.
Step 4: Fitting and calibration
When your appliance arrives, we fit it, adjust it for comfort, and show you how to wear and care for it. The jaw position is then advanced gradually over subsequent visits to find the setting that works best for you.
Step 5: Follow-up and coordination
We schedule follow-ups to confirm the appliance is doing its job, and we coordinate with your sleep specialist on repeat sleep studies when they are needed to verify effectiveness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a diagnosis before getting an oral appliance?
Yes. Sleep apnea is a medical condition and treatment starts with a sleep study and a confirmed diagnosis from a sleep specialist or physician. If you have not been evaluated, we can refer you to a trusted sleep clinic on the Eastside — many studies can now be done at home.
How does an oral appliance actually work?
It holds your lower jaw in a slightly forward position while you sleep. That keeps the soft tissue at the back of your throat from collapsing into your airway, which is what causes both the breathing pauses and the snoring.
Is an oral appliance as effective as CPAP?
For mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, oral appliance therapy is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine as a first-line treatment. CPAP is more effective for severe apnea when it is used consistently — but long-term CPAP compliance is only around 50 percent, and the best treatment is the one you will actually use every night.
Is a sleep apnea appliance the same as a night guard?
No. A night guard protects your teeth from grinding and does nothing for your airway. A sleep apnea appliance repositions your jaw to keep you breathing. They look similar, and grinding and sleep apnea often occur together — tell us if you are dealing with both.
Is it comfortable to sleep in?
Most patients adapt within a couple of weeks. Some notice mild jaw soreness or extra salivation early on, which typically settles. Because the appliance is made from a scan of your own teeth, it is far less intrusive than a mask and hose — and we adjust the jaw position gradually rather than all at once.
Does insurance cover oral appliance therapy?
Often, but usually through your medical insurance rather than your dental plan, since sleep apnea is a medical diagnosis. Coverage typically requires a documented sleep study. We help you understand what your specific benefits look like before treatment begins.
Can I use an oral appliance just for snoring?
Yes. Oral appliance therapy is recommended for chronic snoring as well as for mild to moderate sleep apnea. That said, loud habitual snoring is a common sign of undiagnosed apnea, so we will usually suggest getting evaluated first.
How long does an appliance last?
Several years with good care. Bring it to your routine cleanings so we can check the fit and condition, and let us know if your bite starts to feel different or the appliance stops feeling effective.
What if my apnea is severe?
CPAP is generally the better treatment for severe obstructive sleep apnea, and if it is working well for you we will say so rather than talk you into an appliance. For patients with severe apnea who genuinely cannot tolerate CPAP, an oral appliance can still be a meaningful option — in coordination with your sleep physician.
