Treatment Options For Sleep Apnea & Snoring

Oral appliances are easily the most accessible type of snoring treatment. A typical oral sleep appliance is a comfortable, portable, and custom-fitted mouthpiece that you simply wear while you sleep. The mouthpiece provides relief by preventing your tongue and the soft tissue in your airway from collapsing while you rest. Keeping your airway open allows you to breathe freely and get restful, high quality sleep. An oral sleep appliance has the added benefit of being small & transportable, meaning you can take it with you anywhere and continue to get relief from sleep apnea.

Spark Sleep Solutions offers over 100 different models of oral appliances, so that we can find which one works best for you. Once we find the perfect model of appliance, we’ll make sure that it’s custom fitted to ensure that it feels perfectly comfortable.
*Note for patients with TMJ disorders: We also specialize in oral appliances that work without moving the lower jaw forward.
*See our section on Benefits of OAT for more information.*
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM):

1. Oral Appliance Therapy must be provided only by a dentist specially trained in sleep disordered breathing including the fabrication and titration of oral appliances.
2. Oral Appliance Therapy is recommended as a first line treatment for patients with mild-moderate sleep apnea and for all patients (including severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients) who cannot tolerate to use the CPAP machine.

*American Academy of Sleep Medicine Report, Feb. 2006. Practice Parameters for the treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea with oral appliances.*

A CPAP machine is a medical device that delivers continuous positive airway pressure through a face mask or nasal tube attached to a pump. The machine is usually placed next to the bed. The CPAP machine is plugged into any standard electrical outlet and the mask is worn whenever you sleep or nap. Proper adjustment of the CPAP mask and machine are vital to achieve the maximum clinical benefit and can only be done in a physician’s office.

While CPAP is the most effective form of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, the downside to this form of treatment is that that about 55-77% of patients that undergo CPAP treatment are unable to tolerate it. For those that aren’t comfortable with CPAP treatment, oral sleep appliances are the perfect alternative to provide effective relief.

Reasons for CPAP Intolerance include:

• Claustrophobia
• Embarrassment due to appearance or noise
• Noise from the machine disturbs bed partner
• Nasal congestion from the pressure
• Mask leaks pressure
• Pressure causes pain on tissue and teeth
• Difficult to use and inconvenient: requires electricity, parts must be cleaned
• Difficult to travel with (may require additional checked luggage)
• Adjustments or replacement of parts must be done at lab
• Unconsciously remove the mask at night
• Cost

*Please see our comparison chart on OAT vs CPAP here.*

While oral appliances and CPAP treatment are effective in most sleep apnea cases, more intensive treatment may be needed for severe obstructions of the airway due to enlarged tonsils, adenoids, uvula, nasal polyps, deviated septum or jaw malformations. For patients with this level of sleep apnea, corrective surgery is recommended. Types of surgery options include (but are not limited to):

• Tonsillectomy
• Genioglossus Advancement
• Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA)
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)

Surgery may be an important step in your treatment, and can sometimes be the only option. During your initial examination, Dr. Shah will inform you if surgery is an option that you should consider. The downside to surgery is that it is the most intense form of treatment. It includes an expected level of pain and discomfort post-procedure, and a recovery period. It’s also the only invasive form of sleep apnea treatment. Unfortunately, certain procedures have success rates that can be as low as 30-50%. Due to these reasons, and with so many advances in the field of dental sleep medicine, many Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physicians will encourage patients to try Oral Appliance Therapy first, and keep surgery as an “only if necessary” option.

At Spark Sleep Solutions, we follow a “team” approach that has led to our many successes in treatment with our now happy, more-rested patients throughout San Jose, Los Gatos, San Ramon, and Santa Cruz. With our focus on a collaborative approach to most successfully treat your sleep apnea or snoring, we work closely with a group of expert physicians and dentists to offer you the most comprehensive treatment available. If we feel that you may benefit from other therapies, either alone, or in conjunction with your oral sleep appliance, we will refer you to one of our team physicians or to a physician of your choice.