Sleep Apnea

You Are Not a Nail. We Are Not a Hammer.

We believe that quote perfectly captures, in our opinion, one of the biggest problems in sleep medicine today. One purported solution for all reasons of sleep apnea.

Yes, we fabricate exceptional oral sleep appliances. But we refuse to reduce a complex medical condition to a single product that we happen to sell.

We are not in the business of selling appliances. We are in the business of helping you improve your airway health (sleeping or awake) through comprehensive care dentistry.

We are a comprehensive airway dental practice that believes diagnosis comes first - and treatment should always follow the diagnosis.

Sleep-disordered breathing is far too important and far too complex to be approached with a one-size-fits-all solution.

Sometimes an oral appliance is the best answer.

Sometimes it isn’t.

Our responsibility is to help you understand the difference.

Diagnosis Comes First

Our process begins with understanding why you have airway problems in the first place.

Every patient begins with a comprehensive airway evaluation.

Based on the exam - if a sleep study seems like a good idea for you - we may recommend a referral to a sleep center or a take-home Home Sleep Test (HST).

Your sleep study (HST) is interpreted independently by a board-certified sleep physician, who provides your diagnosis and, when appropriate, a prescription for oral appliance therapy.

Only after we understand your diagnosis do we determine whether a mandibular advancement device is the right treatment for you.

If Oral Appliance Therapy Is Recommended

If oral appliance therapy is recommended, our practice is the place to get it. Why? Because our care goes far beyond simply making a device.

We fabricate exceptionally precise oral sleep appliances using state-of-the-art digital technology. Every appliance is designed from a 3D scan of your teeth and manufactured with advanced 3D printing for outstanding fit, comfort, and durability.

We then custom fit your appliance, carefully titrate it for both comfort and effectiveness, include two complimentary follow-up visits to fine-tune your treatment, fabricate a complimentary morning repositioner to help maintain your bite, and perform complimentary efficacy testing to verify that your treatment is actually working. We also do a bite check and TMJ exam for you, bi-annually as a part of your regular hygiene visits to stay ahead of any appliance-related issues.

The appliance is only one small part of the system.

Home Sleep Testing & Medical Insurance

The fee for your home sleep test includes everything required to complete the diagnostic process: the disposable supplies, rental of the take-home testing device, secure upload of your study, professional interpretation by the sleep physician, your diagnosis, and personalized treatment recommendations.

In many cases, medical insurance covers a significant portion of the cost of the sleep study.

If oral appliance therapy is prescribed, our team will obtain any necessary medical preauthorization and bill your medical insurance on your behalf. Because oral appliance therapy is recognized as a medical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, many medical insurance plans provide substantial coverage for both the appliance and the associated care.

Ongoing Care

And perhaps the best part? Ongoing care.

Bring your appliance with you to every hygiene visit, and we’ll professionally clean it in our ultrasonic bath to help keep it fresh, comfortable, and functioning at its best. We will also perform a bite check and TMJ exam every six months at your hygiene visit as a part of your ongoing care.

If you ever need dental treatment, bring your appliance to those appointments as well. Because Dr. Keerti designs and fabricates the vast majority of her restorations using advanced CAD/CAM technology in our office, we can often modify your appliance or adapt your new restoration to fit it - avoiding the time and expense of fabricating an entirely new appliance whenever possible.

For safety and quality reasons, however, we do not alter appliances fabricated by other providers and cannot guarantee their fit or performance or their ability to withstand ultrasonic cleanings. If your appliance was made elsewhere - that office should be following up with you for routine appliance maintenance and bite checks for you.

But Oral Appliance Therapy Is Not the Right Answer for Everyone

But oral appliance therapy is not the right answer for everyone.

Sometimes the greatest improvement comes from restoring healthy nasal breathing.

Some patients benefit from evaluation by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician.

Others may be better served with orthodontic expansion, maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery, or consultation for CPAP therapy.

In many cases, we recommend these options instead of an oral appliance because they are simply the better solution.

Understanding Before Treatment

Our goal is never to sell you a device.

Our goal is to help you breathe better, sleep better, and improve your long-term health by recommending the treatment that best addresses the cause of your problem.

That may be an oral appliance.

It may not.

Either way, you can trust that our recommendations are driven by diagnosis - not by the products we happen to provide.

Because exceptional healthcare doesn’t begin with treatment.

It begins with understanding.