Oral Appliance Therapy

We treat sleep apnea with an FDA approved oral appliance customized to fit each patient’s teeth, similar to a retainer. The device works by positioning the lower jaw forward during sleep, keeping the airway open. Each device fits in the palm of your hand, requires no electricity, wires or tubes or hoses and is easily packed into luggage for travel.

Do not mistake the oral appliances provided by a dentist with a drugstore snoreguard, which is not FDA cleared for treating OSA. Attempting to treat OSA with an unapproved device and not under the care of a trained professional can lead to inadequate treatment for the condition and potentially to serious complications. There is also an increased risk of undesirable dental side effects.

Oral appliances are recognized as an alternative to CPAP for patients with the following¹:

• Snoring with no sleep apnea
• Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
• Mild or Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Intolerance, non-adherence or refusal of CPAP

Oral appliances also can be used along with CPAP to make the therapy more effective and decrease pressure-related complaints.

Treatment involves

• Screening by High Country Dentistry
• Consultation with a sleep physician or your primary care physician, followed by sleep testing as indicated
• Sleep test results are reviewed by a board-certified sleep physician who makes a diagnosis and therapy suggestion
• Fabrication and delivery of custom-made oral appliance
• Adjustment of appliance to optimize and confirm its effectiveness
• Easy follow-up maintenance appointments with our dentist once a year, or more often if needed
• Annual follow-up with the sleep physician or primary care physician

Not every person qualifies for Oral Appliance Therapy. That is why the decision must be made with a qualified physician, who reviews the sleep test and makes a diagnosis. Patients seeking an alternative to CPAP should consult with a sleep physician or your primary care doctor to determine if oral appliance therapy is appropriate for their condition. High Country Dentistry is pleased to assist you with this process. Click here to schedule your appointment.

DreamSleep Certified

Our office has been DreamSleep Certified for treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea. DreamSleep is a national network of Dentists and Physicians working together to raise awareness and treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

DreamSleep Certification means every member of our sleep team has received intensive training on sleep medicine, oral appliance therapy and collaboration with physicians for testing and diagnosis.

All DreamSleep providers:

• Are required to achieve accreditation in the fundamentals of dental sleep medicine and oral appliance therapy for sleep-related breathing disorders
• Refer patients at risk to qualified physicians for diagnosis and prescription of an appropriate therapy
• Use objective data to verify the efficacy of oral appliance therapy as permitted within their scope of practice and in accordance with their state dental practice acts
• Refer patients back to physicians for confirmation of treatment efficacy after fitting and titration of an oral appliance
• Provide timely, appropriate and ongoing follow-up care to manage dental-related side effects of oral appliance therapy

We believe that close teamwork with physicians is essential for successful management of sleep-related breathing disorders using oral appliance therapy.

Are you a candidate for Oral Appliance Therapy?

Oral Appliance Therapy is an FDA approved treatment for mild to moderate OSA and for patients who are CPAP-intolerant or non-compliant. Results from Sleep Testing are reviewed by board-certified Sleep Physicians who are available to consult with patients about treatment options.

1. Ramar et al. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring with Oral Appliance Therapy: An Update for 2015. J Clin Sleep Med. 11:773-827, 2015.