Sleep Apnea & Oral Appliances

Sleep Apnea & Oral Appliance Therapy in Ivy, VA

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea do more than disrupt your rest — they can affect your heart health, energy levels, and overall quality of life. At Willis & Associates Family Dentistry Ivy – Charlottesville, Dr. Michelle Kim offers custom oral appliance therapy as a comfortable, effective alternative to CPAP for treating mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the throat collapse during sleep, partially or completely blocking the airway. This causes repeated pauses in breathing throughout the night, sometimes hundreds of times, each lasting ten seconds or longer. Your brain briefly wakes you to reopen the airway, preventing deep, restorative sleep.

An estimated 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, and many cases go undiagnosed. Left untreated, OSA is linked to serious health conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and depression.

Signs You May Have Sleep Apnea

• Loud, chronic snoring
• Gasping, choking, or pauses in breathing during sleep (often noticed by a partner)
• Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue despite a full night of sleep
• Morning headaches or a dry, sore throat upon waking
• Difficulty concentrating, memory problems, or irritability
• Waking frequently during the night to urinate
• Teeth grinding (bruxism) during sleep

How Your Dentist Can Help

Dentists are uniquely positioned to screen for sleep apnea because we examine the mouth, jaw, and airway at every visit. Dr. Kim looks for telltale signs like tooth wear from grinding, scalloped tongue edges, a narrow airway, or a large tongue relative to the mouth. If sleep apnea is suspected, we coordinate with your physician or a sleep specialist for a definitive diagnosis through a sleep study.

Oral Appliance Therapy

For patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, or for those who cannot tolerate a CPAP machine, a custom oral appliance is an effective and comfortable treatment option. The appliance looks similar to a sports mouthguard and is worn only during sleep.

The device works by gently repositioning the lower jaw slightly forward, which keeps the airway open and prevents the soft tissue collapse that causes apnea events. Benefits of oral appliance therapy include:

• Comfortable and easy to wear — custom-fitted to your mouth for a precise, comfortable fit
• Silent — no machine noise, hoses, or masks
• Portable — fits in a small case, ideal for travel
• Easy to maintain — simple cleaning with a toothbrush and water
• High compliance — patients are far more likely to use an oral appliance consistently compared to CPAP

The Process

After a sleep apnea diagnosis from your physician, Dr. Kim takes precise digital impressions of your teeth and bite. Your custom appliance is fabricated in a dental lab and fitted at a follow-up appointment. Dr. Kim will adjust the appliance for optimal comfort and effectiveness, and follow-up sleep testing confirms that the device is successfully treating your apnea.

Is an Oral Appliance Right for You?

Oral appliance therapy is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for patients with mild to moderate OSA and for patients with severe OSA who are unable to use CPAP. It is also an excellent option for primary snoring. Dr. Kim will work with your sleep physician to determine the best treatment approach for your individual needs.