Sleep Apnea & Snoring

Custom appliances treat sleep apnea and snoring effectively, enhancing rest with competent, personalized care.

Understanding the Condition

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. These pauses in breathing are called apneic events and can last from a few seconds to over a minute and may occur hundreds of times per night without the sufferer being aware.

The most common form, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat relax backwards during sleep, causing the airway to narrow or collapse entirely. This restricts airflow, drops blood oxygen levels, and forces the brain to briefly wake the body to reopen the airway.

Left untreated, sleep apnea is associated with serious health consequences including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, and significantly impaired daytime function.

Common Signs & Symptoms

Loud, persistent snoring
Hypertension
Gasping, coughing, or choking during sleep
Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue
Morning headaches or dry mouth
Difficulty concentrating or memory problems
Witnessed pauses in breathing during sleep
Frequent nighttime urination

Important: If you or your partner notice any of these signs, speak with your family physician or dentist about a sleep study. Early diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve your health and quality of life.

How It Works

The Mechanism of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Understanding what happens in the airway during an apneic event helps explain why oral appliance therapy is so effective.

Muscle Relaxation

As you fall into deep sleep, the muscles of the tongue, soft palate, and throat relax more than usual, reducing the diameter of the upper airway.

Airway Narrowing

The relaxed soft tissues partially or fully collapse inward, obstructing the flow of air. This is what produces the characteristic sound of snoring — vibrating tissue.

Oxygen Desaturation

As airflow is restricted, blood oxygen levels begin to fall. The brain detects this drop, triggers a stress response and increases the heart rate.

Arousal & Airway Reopening

The brain startles the body awake— often so briefly the person has no memory of it — causing the airway muscles to tighten and breathing to resume, often with a gasp or snort.

Cycle Repeats

This cycle can repeat 5 to over 100 times per hour, preventing the deep, restorative sleep stages essential for physical and cognitive recovery.

Getting Help

Diagnosis & Our Role in Your Care

Sleep apnea is diagnosed through a sleep study (polysomnography), which may be conducted in a sleep clinic or at home using a portable monitoring device. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, your may speak with your primary care provider, ENT, or dentist. Gibson Dental works with respiratory therapists to aid in diagnosis.

Once diagnosed, you may be a candidate for oral appliance therapy — a highly effective, non-invasive treatment option that is particularly well-suited for mild to moderate OSA, or for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy.

We work closely with your healthcare team playing an important role in delivering and managing your oral appliance treatment.

Custom oral appliance for sleep apnea treatment

Already diagnosed?

If you have a sleep apnea diagnosis, were unable to tolerate CPAP, or a referral for oral appliance therapy, contact us to book a consultation. We'll assess your suitability, take impressions or a scan, and fit you with a custom-made device.

Book a Consultation

Oral Appliance Therapy

Treatment & Benefits

Oral appliance therapy involves wearing a custom-fitted dental device during sleep. The appliance gently repositions the lower jaw and tongue forward, keeping the airway open and preventing the collapse that causes apneic events.

Comfortable & Non-Invasive

Unlike CPAP machines, oral appliances are small, silent, and require no mask, hose, or electricity. Most patients find them far more comfortable to wear.

Custom-Fitted for You

Your appliance is made from precise impressions of your teeth, ensuring a perfect fit that is both effective and comfortable throughout the night.

Clinically Proven

Oral appliance therapy is endorsed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) as a first-line treatment for mild to moderate OSA and as an alternative for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP.

Portable & Travel-Friendly

Your appliance fits in a small case and requires no power source, making it ideal for travel.

Improved Sleep Quality

By keeping the airway open, the appliance reduces or eliminates apneic events, allowing you to achieve deep, restorative sleep and wake feeling refreshed.

Reduced Health Risks

Treating sleep apnea lowers your risk of serious cardiovascular and metabolic conditions associated with untreated OSA, including hypertension and heart disease.

Think You Might Have Sleep Apnea?

Talk to your doctor about a sleep study, and ask about a referral to Gibson Dental for oral appliance therapy. We're here to help you sleep better.