FAQ

How Does an Oral Appliance Work?

An oral appliance is a simple device that you place over your teeth at bedtime, similar to a retainer or a nightguard. It holds your lower jaw in a slightly forward position which helps open your airway so you can breathe easily all night without snoring.

Will I Need a Shot? Does it Hurt?

Even though an Oral Appliance must be made by a dentist, there are NO SHOTS and NO DRILLING! Whew…. The treatment is totally painless and comfortable, and wearing the appliance is very similar to the feeling of wearing an orthodontic/invisalign retainer or a nightguard, that many of you might be familiar with.

How Long Does the Process Take?

We typically schedule a brief consultation visit, followed by a record taking/impression visit, followed by the appliance insertion visit. 2 or 3 follow-up visits are usually needed to ascertain the comfort and efficacy of the appliance.

How Much Does It Cost?

Most medical insurance plans, including Medicare, cover this treatment, so your actual “out-of-pocket” cost is limited to your medical plan’s deductible &/or copayment requirements.

Will I Get Used to It?

The compliancy rate of Oral Appliances is above 80%, so the vast majority of patients have no trouble wearing an Oral Appliance nightly. Compare this to the less than 50% compliancy rate for Cpap.

What if It Doesn’t Work?

In the rare case of your being unable to tolerate wearing the Oral Appliance, you still have the options of Cpap or surgery to treat your Sleep Apnea.

What if I Snore, but Do Not Have Sleep Apnea? Can I Still Be Treated?

Absolutely! You are the easiest to treat! We can usually stop snoring in 95% of patients with an Oral Appliance. The only negative is that your insurance will NOT cover the expense because snoring alone is NOT a disease without the accompanying sleep apnea. We do have lower cost appliances that are only approved for snoring.

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