Frequently Asked Questions

A large number of medical associations now endorse Dental Therapy as a first-line treatment for OSA. But any therapy only works well if it’s actually used. CPAP therapy, when used properly, can provide highly effective treatment, but a lot of people can’t tolerate the restriction of the face mask or the feel of forced air. As a result, many stop using it.

Common complaints include the machine being cumbersome, side effects like a bloated gut from swallowing air (aerophagia) and mask leaks that can disturb a bed partner. Psychologically, many people also dislike the feeling of being on what seems like a life-support machine every night.

People who are given oral appliances to treat Sleep Apnoea, on the other hand, are far more likely to stick with the treatment. Watch our dentist share why many people struggle with CPAP.

An appliance will usually last four to five years, though if you clench or grind your teeth, you might wear it out sooner. To make sure it remains in good order, we have a customised review schedule. We like to see you for an initial review after a couple of weeks to catch any issues early and coach you for a better outcome. After that, we generally see you every six months for the first two years, as this is a critical period. Following that, it might be once a year. Our video explains the importance of regular reviews.

We like to call it “exercise discomfort” rather than pain. It’s like when you go to the gym; you feel great during the workout, but the next day you can really feel some unease. After a few days, you adapt and feel fine. It’s much the same with an oral appliance; most people experience some discomfort for about three nights, and then it disappears. While CPAP doesn’t “hurt” either, it has its own discomforts, like needing to pull the straps tight. You can hear more in our video Do Oral Appliances Hurt?.

There can be minor side effects such as excessive saliva and pressure on teeth and jaw, but most are temporary and disappear within a day or two. Most people experience no detrimental side effects at all. A specialist dentist is the best person to manage these temporary adjustments. See our video explaining why you should see a dentist for sleep issues.

The device itself will not cure you of OSA. But other factors, such as losing weight, may make the use of the device unnecessary, you may find a different sleep position that will change your sleeping habits, or the device may improve your sleep and energy levels to a point that you have more incentive to make bigger lifestyle changes. Sleep Apnoea is a chronic illness whose severity is a function of weight and age – the older you are, the thinner you need to be. Our video explains some of the alternatives to ongoing appliance use.

Sleep Apnoea is a periodic collapse of the upper airway during sleep. Basically, about 10cm of your airway from the soft palate down to just above your Adam’s apple collapses, which affects how well you sleep. It’s a disease of age and weight; the older and heavier you get, the worse it gets. If you don’t treat Sleep Apnoea, it can lead to a raft of other medical issues like cardiovascular disease, heart disease and diabetes. Our video offers a simple breakdown of what happens in your airway during sleep.

Yes, there are two ways you can die from snoring. The first is from undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea and all the health risks that go with it. The second is that your partner puts a pillow over your face and suffocates you. Either way, it’s a problem that needs to be addressed. Here’s a video that explains more about the serious effects of snoring.

Long-term studies show that patients with untreated, severe sleep apnoea have a significantly increased risk of dying from a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke. In fact, after eight years, about 20% of the untreated group had passed away from these causes. Getting the recommended treatment brings your chances of survival back to a normal level. You can see a detailed explanation in our video on how sleep apnoea impacts long-term health.

Anything above 50 decibels is a fair cut-off point for comfortable sleep. To give you an idea, 50 decibels is the background noise of an air conditioner, while a whisper is around 20. Most people can sleep through something between a whisper and an air conditioner, but anything louder becomes a problem. In fact, some clinical devices that monitor sleep are set to register snores over 50 decibels as a disruptive event. Find out more in this short video about the decibel levels that disrupt sleep.

Losing weight can have a hugely beneficial impact on sleep apnoea, and the next most important thing is to not sleep on your back. It’s also vital to have a clear nasal airway because a blocked nose will turn you into a mouth breather, which increases your risk of snoring. Good sleep hygiene, like no coffee before bed and no TV in the bedroom, is also a simple lifestyle change to improve your sleep quality.

CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, and it’s essentially a reverse vacuum cleaner that blows air down your airway to keep it open. It pushes air into your lungs, whereas an oral appliance, such as a Mandibular Advancement Splint, works by pulling the jaw forward to increase the airway’s volume. While CPAP is considered the gold standard of treatment for sleep-disordered breathing, there are now many versions, including BiPAP and APAP, which automatically adjusts the pressure as you sleep. Here’s a full explanation of how CPAP therapy works.

Yes. A Mandibular Advancement Splint isn’t the only tool in our box. For severe cases, or when a splint alone isn’t enough, we use ‘adjunct treatments’ to treat the problem holistically. This could mean combining a splint with positional therapy (a small vibrating collar that stops you from sleeping on your back) or a referral to an ENT surgeon for minor soft tissue trimming. A big one is weight management; research shows a 10% drop in weight can improve sleep apnoea severity by 25-40%, which can make someone suitable for a splint. The devil is in the details of your sleep study, and that’s why our qualified team looks beyond the numbers to find the right combination of treatments for you. Our video explores the different alternatives to CPAP. 

While being male is a major risk factor, so is being a postmenopausal female. We see a lot more women for sleep apnoea now than 30 years ago, thankfully, as the old idea that “women don’t snore” has faded. Our practice is now about 50/50 and it’s not restricted to mature ladies; we see a lot of young, thin females with snoring issues and sleep apnoea, as more women are coming forward to address their sleep problems. Interestingly, while the treatment approach isn’t different, some studies show that females respond even better than males to mandibular advancement splints. You can hear more from our dentist about the specific considerations for women with sleep apnoea and learn how treatments are adapted for women.

While “dental sleep medicine” isn’t a recognised speciality, there is a university-based qualification called a Graduate Diploma in Dental Sleep Medicine (GDDSM). There are only about approximately 34 graduates in Australia, and 8 in Perth who have this advanced training. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnoea, you need to find a dentist with this level of expertise. It’s the best way to be confident you’ll be treated well by someone who truly understands what they’re treating. Find out from our expert why a specialist Sleep Dentist is an important part of your treatment team.

While technically any dentist can physically make an oral appliance, the real issue is that they are treating a medical condition with a dental device, and most don’t understand the condition. It’s a much more involved process than just making a splint and telling you to adjust it until you feel better. For a satisfactory outcome, you need an expert. This is also a number one reason why you should see a dentist for sleep issues.

‘boil and bite’ appliance from the pharmacy isn’t as effective as a custom-made one. In fact, it may give you a false negative, making you think the treatment won’t work when, with a professionally made appliance, it actually could. On the other hand, if you do get a positive result, it’s a strong sign that a custom device may be the right solution for you. While some groups are strongly opposed to these over-the-counter options, we believe they can play a role for people who aren’t ready to invest in the ideal treatment just yet. Our video explains the difference between professional and over-the-counter devices.

A custom-made oral appliance isn’t something you can buy off the shelf — it’s a tailored medical treatment, so costs will vary. Before starting, you’ll need a full dental check-up and the right scans, since appliances can’t be fitted on unhealthy teeth. In terms of cost, treatment is often similar to a high-end CPAP machine, and many health funds provide rebates for the dental component. With a care plan, even premium splint therapy can be manageable, typically working out to around $50–$100 per week. Get an idea of the costs involved in an oral appliance.

For the most part, no. Some patented appliances have a set design, while a couple of our own designs can have the colour varied. To be honest, pink is probably the way to go, as it blends in with the natural colour of the soft tissues in your mouth. You can hear more about the colour options for oral appliances in our video.

Our general rule is not to fit anyone under 18. Because an oral appliance is also a type of orthodontic appliance, we don’t want to create any inappropriate growth patterns. That said, it’s not a simple A+B=C process; the decision is customised to the individual. A very physically mature 17-year-old might be a suitable candidate, for example. It really comes down to professional experience and what’s best for the patient. You can hear more about the age requirements for an oral appliance here.