Sleep Apnea Testing and Oral Appliance Therapy in Tucson

Treating sleep apnea starts with one thing, a sleep study. At Graham Family Dental Care in Tucson, there are two ways to get there. Bring us the results of a study ordered by your own physician, or complete a WatchPAT take-home sleep study through our office, with results evaluated and reviewed by a sleep physician. Once there is a diagnosis, we custom-make an oral appliance that helps keep your airway open while you sleep.

What sleep apnea is

Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical condition in which the airway narrows or closes repeatedly during sleep, interrupting breathing over and over through the night. Common signs include loud snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, morning headaches, and daytime fatigue that rest never seems to fix. It is a serious condition tied to broader health risks, which is why diagnosis belongs with a physician. The good news is that getting evaluated is simpler than most people expect.

Two ways to get your sleep study

Through your physician. Your physician can order a sleep study, in a lab or at home. If that is the route you take, bring us the results and the diagnosis, and we handle the dental side from there.

Through our office. We offer WatchPAT take-home sleep studies. You take a small device home and wear it overnight while you sleep in your own bed, no lab visit required. Once the study is complete, the results are sent to a sleep physician for evaluation and review. The cost is a flat $224, including the sleep physician's report.

Either way, the diagnosis itself comes from a physician. What we provide is the testing access on one end and the treatment on the other.

The oral appliance

If the evaluation confirms obstructive sleep apnea and an oral appliance is a fit, most often for mild to moderate sleep apnea, or for patients who cannot tolerate a CPAP, we handle everything dental. It starts with an exam focused on candidacy. The health of your teeth and gums, your bite, and your jaw joints all affect whether an appliance will work well for you.

The appliance itself is a custom-made device, similar in feel to a retainer, worn only during sleep. It holds the lower jaw slightly forward, which helps keep the airway open through the night. Because it is custom-fitted from impressions of your teeth, it is a different device entirely from the one-size boil-and-bite products sold online. It fits precisely, it accounts for the condition of your teeth and jaw joints, and it can be adjusted over time. Follow-up visits fine-tune the fit, because comfort determines whether a device gets worn every night. Effectiveness is a medical question, so a follow-up sleep study while wearing the appliance is sometimes recommended to confirm it is doing its job.

Already using a CPAP?

CPAP is a highly effective treatment, and we will never suggest setting one aside on our own authority. If you find yours difficult to use consistently, that is a conversation to have with your physician, who can tell you whether oral appliance therapy is a reasonable option in your case. If the answer is yes, we are here for the dental side of it.

Signs worth taking seriously

Loud, persistent snoring. Pauses in breathing that a partner notices. Waking up gasping. Morning headaches. Daytime sleepiness that does not match the hours you sleep. None of these are things a dental office diagnoses, but all of them are reasons to get a sleep study, and that can start with your physician or right here with a take-home test. One thing we do sometimes see first is heavy tooth wear from nighttime grinding. It shows up in a dental exam, and it can accompany disrupted sleep. If we spot it, we will say so.

Frequently asked questions

Can a dentist treat sleep apnea?

A dentist can provide oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea that a physician has diagnosed. At our office, we can also provide the take-home sleep study that starts the process, with results evaluated by a sleep physician. The diagnosis itself always comes from a physician, not a dentist.

Do I need a sleep study before getting an oral appliance?

Yes, always. You can bring results from a study your physician ordered, or complete a WatchPAT take-home study through our office.

What is a WatchPAT take-home sleep study?

A small device you wear overnight while sleeping in your own bed, no sleep lab visit required. Once the study is complete, the results are sent to a sleep physician for evaluation and review. At our office it costs a flat $224, which includes the sleep physician's report.

Is an oral appliance a replacement for CPAP?

That is a physician's call, based on how significant your apnea is and how you tolerate CPAP. Appliances are most often recommended for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, or for patients who cannot use CPAP consistently.

Who offers sleep apnea testing and oral appliances in Tucson?

Graham Family Dental Care on Country Club Road has served Tucson since 1987. Dr. Ava Becker and Dr. Russell Graham offer WatchPAT take-home sleep studies and custom oral appliance therapy for physician-diagnosed sleep apnea.

Two ways to start

If you already have a sleep apnea diagnosis, bring your study results and we will talk through whether an oral appliance fits your situation. If you only suspect it (loud snoring, restless nights, tired mornings, a partner telling you that you gasp for air), ask about a WatchPAT take-home study. Call (520) 327-1205 or request an appointment through our contact page.