What Is Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is what happens when the soft tissues at the back of your throat repeatedly collapse during sleep, blocking your airway and interrupting your breathing. Each episode can last 10 seconds or longer and happen hundreds of times a night. Left untreated, sleep apnea is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, daytime fatigue, and even car accidents from being exhausted at the wheel. If you snore loudly, wake up gasping, or feel wrecked no matter how long you sleep, talk to your doctor — and bring it up with us, too.
Oral Appliance Therapy
If you have mild to moderate OSA — or severe OSA and you simply can’t tolerate CPAP — a custom oral appliance is a proven, comfortable alternative. The most common one is a mandibular advancement device that gently holds your lower jaw forward while you sleep, keeping your airway open. It looks like two thin mouthguards that snap together, and it’s small enough to pack in your carry-on. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine endorses oral appliances as a first-line treatment for many patients.
Oral Appliance vs. CPAP
CPAP is still the gold standard for severe sleep apnea, but a lot of people struggle to use it consistently — the mask is bulky, travel is a hassle, and sleeping with air blowing on you just doesn’t work for everyone. Studies show a comfortable oral appliance worn every night can be more effective than a CPAP that lives in a drawer. Your Charlottesville team coordinates closely with your sleep physician to land on the option that’s actually going to work for your life.
Getting Fitted
After your sleep study has confirmed the diagnosis, digital impressions of your teeth and jaw go off to a specialty lab, and your custom appliance comes back about two weeks later. At the delivery visit, the fit is fine-tuned, you’ll learn how to advance the appliance gradually over the coming weeks, and you leave with clear guidance on simple morning jaw exercises. Follow-up visits make sure the appliance is doing its job and that your bite and TMJ stay healthy. Most insurance plans and Medicare cover oral appliance therapy when it’s medically necessary.