Custom dental sleep appliances for snoring and sleep apnoea in West Lakes.

Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Treatment

Snoring is common, but that does not mean it should be ignored.

For some people, snoring is just snoring. For others, it can be a sign that the airway is narrowing during sleep. When breathing is not as easy as it should be, sleep quality can suffer.

That can show up as tiredness, brain fog, morning headaches, dry mouth, teeth grinding, or a partner who is not sleeping well either.

At Providence Dental Care in West Lakes, we help suitable patients with custom dental sleep appliances, also called mandibular advancement splints or MAS.

These appliances are designed to gently support the lower jaw forward during sleep, helping keep the airway more open.

They can be a good option for people who snore, people with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea, and people who have tried CPAP but struggle to use it consistently.

We work alongside sleep medical practitioners, so your care is properly assessed and guided by the right diagnosis.

Visit our blog post on snoring, sleep apnea and how your dentist can help.

What is snoring?

Snoring happens when the soft tissues at the back of the throat vibrate as air passes through a narrowed space. It is often worse when you are sleeping on your back, congested, very tired, or after alcohol.

Snoring can affect your partner’s sleep, your own sleep quality, and sometimes point to a bigger airway issue.

Benefits of Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Treatment

A custom dental sleep appliance can be a practical way to improve your sleep breathing. Here are three key benefits.

Easier Breathing and Better Sleep

A mandibular advancement splint gently supports your lower jaw forward during sleep, helping keep your airway more open. This can reduce snoring and improve airflow, so you and your partner rest more easily.

A Practical Alternative to CPAP

A custom appliance is small, quiet, electricity-free and easy to travel with. For people who struggle to use CPAP consistently, it can be a far more practical way to improve sleep breathing.

Custom Made and Properly Monitored

Your appliance is custom made from digital scans, adjusted gradually over time, and reviewed alongside sleep medicine doctors. This protects your teeth, jaw joints and bite while improving your sleep.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cheap snoring guards can seem tempting, but they are not the same thing.

A custom appliance is made to fit your teeth, your bite, and your jaw position. It can be adjusted in a controlled way and monitored properly.

An online boil-and-bite guard is usually bulkier, less stable, and less precise.

When something is holding your jaw forward every night, fit matters.

We invite you to reach out to our West Lakes dental clinic to book a consultation.

Most patients adapt well, but any appliance that holds the lower jaw forward can affect the bite over time.

That is why we review you properly.

We may also provide a small morning aligner or bite guide to help your jaw settle back into its usual position after wearing the appliance overnight.

The goal is to improve your sleep while also protecting your teeth, jaw joints, and bite.

A mandibular advancement splint needs stable teeth to hold onto.

If you have missing teeth, dentures, loose teeth, gum disease, or complex dental work, we will assess whether an appliance can be made safely.

Some patients are suitable. Some are not. We will give you a clear answer.

A mandibular advancement splint works while you wear it.

For many people with snoring or mild to moderate sleep apnoea, it can make a significant difference. For others, it may reduce symptoms but still need to be part of a broader sleep plan.

The most important thing is finding a treatment that is appropriate and that you can actually use consistently.

With good habits and under the right conditions, your oral appliance can last for several years.

Of course, the lifespan of your dental sleep appliance (or mandibular advancement splint) depends on a few factors.

Issues that may shorten the lifespan of your custom dental appliance include:

Improper Storage: Storing your appliance in a hot climate may cause damage. Be sure to keep it in the proper case and away from the sun or heat.
Bruxism (Teeth Grinding): Teeth grinding puts stress on your device and teeth.
Cleaning Practices: Using abrasive cleaners on your device can cause damage or early wear. Your dentist in West Lakes will discuss the best methods for keeping your device free from bacteria. Typically, a soft toothbrush and mild antibacterial soap are sufficient, but make sure the water is not hot. You can also soak your appliance in a denture bath.

About Sleep Apnoea Treatment in West Lakes

We have partnered with local sleep practitioners to assess your level and type of sleep apnoea thoroughly. We also examine your jaw and airway risks to determine whether appliance therapy is a safe and practical solution.

If you’re a good candidate for appliance therapy, your dentist creates a custom splint to be worn at night.

Are You Ready to Book a Sleep Study?

To learn more or to get started, we encourage your call. You can also book online.

What is obstructive sleep apnoea?

Obstructive sleep apnoea, also searched as sleep apnea, is when the airway repeatedly narrows or blocks during sleep.

This can cause breathing to reduce or pause briefly throughout the night. The brain then has to interrupt sleep to help reopen the airway.

Most people do not remember this happening. They just wake up feeling like they have not had proper rest.

Common signs include:
loud regular snoring
waking tired
morning headaches
dry mouth
daytime sleepiness
poor concentration
irritability
teeth grinding or jaw tension
a partner noticing pauses in breathing

You do not need every symptom to have a problem. And not everyone who snores has sleep apnoea. That is why a sleep study is useful.

A practical alternative for people who struggle with CPAP

CPAP can work very well when it is worn consistently.

The issue is that some people find it hard to use every night. The mask, air pressure, noise, tubing, dry mouth, or travel inconvenience can make it difficult.

If CPAP is working well for you, that is great.

If it is sitting beside the bed unused, or you only manage it for part of the night, a dental sleep appliance may be worth considering.

A mandibular advancement splint is:

custom made for your teeth
small and easy to travel with
quiet
electricity-free
worn inside the mouth while you sleep
adjustable over time

For the right patient, it can be a much more practical way to improve sleep breathing.

What is a mandibular advancement splint?

A mandibular advancement splint is a custom-made dental appliance worn at night.

It fits over your upper and lower teeth and gently holds your lower jaw forward. This helps bring the tongue and soft tissues forward, creating more space behind the throat.

The aim is to reduce snoring and improve airflow while you sleep.

It is not the same as a cheap boil-and-bite snoring guard.

A proper MAS is custom made from digital scans of your mouth, adjusted carefully, and reviewed over time to make sure it is comfortable and working as intended.

Who can a dental sleep appliance help?

A custom sleep appliance may be suitable for:

snoring
mild obstructive sleep apnoea
moderate obstructive sleep apnoea
some people with severe sleep apnoea who cannot tolerate CPAP
people who travel often
people who remove their CPAP during the night
people looking for a smaller and simpler option

Suitability depends on your sleep study results, your teeth, gums, bite, jaw joints, and medical recommendations.

We will check all of this before making an appliance.

Our Team

Meet More of Our Team

Dr Caleb Harvie B.HSci(Dent) M.Dent

Principal Dentist and Owner/Founder

Dr Caleb Harvie is the principal dentist and founder of Providence Dental Care, where he leads the practice with a focus on high standards of care for both patients and staff. Since beginning his dental ...

Read More
Dr Meg Harvie BHSc MDent DClinDent (Paediatrics)

Visiting Specialist Paediatric Dentist

Dr Meg Harvie is a specialist paediatric dentist with extensive experience managing complex paediatric dental cases. She is skilled in providing treatment under nitrous oxide sedation and general anaesthesia, aiming to ensure children receive safe, ...

Read More

Our process

1. We assess your mouth, jaw and airway risk

We start with a consultation at Providence Dental Care.

We talk through your symptoms, your sleep, your snoring, your CPAP experience if you have one, and what your partner has noticed.

We also assess your teeth, gums, bite, jaw joints, tooth wear, tongue position, and signs that may relate to sleep breathing.

This helps us work out whether a dental sleep appliance is likely to be suitable.

2. We arrange a simple home sleep study

If you need a sleep study, we can arrange a simple take-home sleep test.

There is no need to start with an expensive hospital visit for most people. The home sleep study is straightforward and designed to be done in your own bed.

The sleep medicine doctors we work with then review the results and provide their diagnosis and recommendation.

If they confirm that a mandibular advancement splint is appropriate, we can move ahead with your custom sleep appliance.

3. We scan and make your appliance

We take digital scans of your teeth and record the jaw position needed for your appliance.

Your mandibular advancement splint is then custom made to fit your mouth.

4. We fit and adjust it gradually

Once your appliance is ready, we fit it and show you how to use it.

The appliance can be adjusted gradually over time. The aim is to find a position that improves your breathing while still feeling comfortable for your teeth and jaw.

5. We review and monitor

We review your comfort, symptoms, jaw joints, bite, and appliance fit.

In many cases, a follow-up sleep study may be recommended with the appliance in place. This helps confirm that it is doing its job.

Book a sleep appliance consultation in West Lakes

If snoring is affecting your sleep, your partner’s sleep, or your energy during the day, it is worth checking properly.

If you already have sleep apnoea and do not use your CPAP consistently, it is also worth discussing whether a dental sleep appliance could be suitable.

At Providence Dental Care, we can assess your mouth, arrange a simple home sleep study if needed, and work with sleep medicine doctors to guide the next step.

Book a snoring and sleep apnoea consultation at Providence Dental Care in West Lakes.

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