The Patient Experience

Wondering what it’s like to work with Drs. Kelly and Kimberly to treat your obstructive sleep apnea or snoring? Read on to learn more about the common steps involved in oral appliance therapy.
 

Step 1: Screening

To screen for OSA, we will ask about your:

  • Energy and drowsiness levels
  • Health history
  • Medications
  • Quality of sleep

We may then record your height, weight, blood pressure, and size of your neck. It is common to also examine your teeth, jaw, gums, tongue, and back of throat and take photographs or x-rays of your teeth and jaw.

Step 2: Diagnosis

Drs. Kelly and Kimberly work closely with doctors who diagnose OSA, so they will recommend that you schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor or a doctor who specializes in treating sleep problems if they believe you could be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea but haven’t been diagnosed yet.

Your physician will perform a sleep evaluation. This may involve either an overnight sleep test at a sleep center or a home sleep apnea test (HSAT). A sleep specialist will interpret the data from your sleep test. The information from the evaluation and the sleep test results will be used to determine if you have OSA. If you have OSA or snoring, your physician will prescribe a treatment for you.

A common treatment for OSA is to use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. If you are interested in an oral appliance instead of a CPAP device, be sure to let your doctor know. After the doctor prescribes your oral appliance, you can then contact Dr. Kelly or Dr. Kimberly to start treatment.

Step 3: Making, Fitting, and Positioning Your Appliance

Drs. Kelly and Kimberly will explain the different types of oral appliances and will discuss which one is the best for you. To make your personalized appliance, we will take impressions of your teeth.

Once your oral appliance has been created, you will have another appointment to make sure the appliance fits you well. Drs. Kelly and Kimberly will show you how to put the appliance in your mouth and take it out and will adjust the appliance as needed to make sure you have maximum comfort. During this appointment, you will also learn how to care for your appliance and adjust it so that it is in the best position to treat your OSA or snoring.

Throughout the entire process, you will not be alone! We will have you schedule follow up appointments and will ask you questions to ensure you are receiving the best care possible. Once Drs. Kelly or Kimberly determines that your oral appliance is doing its job correctly, you will be asked to schedule an appointment with your physician to make sure that the treatment is effectively reducing your OSA or snoring.

Step 4: Follow Up

Drs. Kelly and Kimberly will schedule regular follow up appointments with you for as long as you use your oral appliance.

During these quick follow-up appointments, Drs. Kelly and Kimberly will make sure the oral appliance is working as effectively and comfortably as possible. If you ever experience any pain or discomfort with your appliance, contact the office and we can help make things better.