Snoring & Sleep Apnea

Snoring isn't just a nighttime nuisance — it can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a serious condition that increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and daytime accidents. At Dr. Ravi's Dental and Orofacial Pain Clinic, we offer oral appliance therapy as an effective, comfortable alternative to CPAP machines for mild to moderate sleep apnea.

Understanding Snoring & Sleep Apnea

During sleep, the muscles of the throat and tongue relax. In some people, these tissues collapse backward far enough to partially or completely block the airway. This causes:

• Vibration of soft tissues (snoring)
• Complete airway collapse (apnea)
• Oxygen desaturation and sleep fragmentation
• Morning headaches and daytime sleepiness

Symptoms We Screen For

• Loud, chronic snoring
• Witnessed breathing pauses during sleep
• Gasping or choking at night
• Morning headaches
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Difficulty concentrating
• High blood pressure

Oral Appliance Therapy

A mandibular advancement device (MAD) is a custom-fitted dental appliance that holds your lower jaw slightly forward during sleep. This:

• Pulls the tongue away from the airway
• Stabilizes the soft palate and uvula
• Increases airway diameter
• Reduces snoring intensity by 50-90%
• Improves oxygen saturation in OSA patients

Our Process

We take precise dental impressions, work with your sleep physician to confirm your diagnosis and AHI (apnea-hypopnea index), and fabricate a custom device. We then titrate (adjust) the advancement gradually over follow-up visits to find your optimal position — maximizing airway opening while maintaining comfort.

Who Is a Candidate?

Oral appliances are FDA-approved for mild to moderate OSA (AHI 5-30) and for primary snoring without apnea. For severe OSA, CPAP remains first-line, though some patients use both therapies together.

Frequently Asked Questions