Oral Appliance Therapy – Am I a Candidate?

A guide from Dr. Sheri Love  |  Love Sleep Wichita

If you snore, experience frequent wake ups, or feel exhausted upon waking, you may have heard the words “sleep apnea.” And if you’ve already looked into treatment, you’ve almost certainly heard about CPAP — the continuous positive airway pressure machine that many doctors prescribe as the go-to solution.

What fewer people know is that there’s another option — one that fits in the palm of your hand, requires no cumbersome system or electronics, and for many patients works just as well. It’s called oral appliance therapy, and at Love Sleep in Wichita, it’s what we specialize in.

So the question is: are you a candidate? Let’s walk through exactly what that means.

What is oral appliance therapy?

An oral appliance is a custom-fitted device — similar in size to a sports mouthguard or retainer — that you wear while you sleep. It works by gently repositioning your lower jaw slightly forward, which keeps your airway open and prevents the soft tissue at the back of your throat from collapsing.

That collapse is exactly what causes obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): your airway narrows or closes off, your oxygen levels drop, and your brain jolts you partially awake to resume breathing. This can happen dozens or even hundreds of times a night — often without you ever being aware of it.

Oral appliance therapy stops that cycle. And many of our patients at Love Sleep report noticing results from the very first night.

Who is a good candidate?

Oral appliance therapy is not right for everyone — but it’s right for more people than you might expect. Here are the situations where it tends to work especially well.

You have mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is classified by how many times per hour you stop breathing. Mild OSA is 5–14 events per hour; moderate is 15–29. For patients in these ranges, oral appliance therapy is considered a front-line treatment by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM).

If your sleep study shows severe OSA (30 or more events per hour), CPAP may still be the better first choice — but we’ll always discuss your individual situation before making a recommendation.

You’ve tried CPAP and can’t tolerate it

CPAP compliance is a real challenge. Studies consistently show that a significant portion of patients prescribed CPAP stop using it within the first year. If you’re one of them — because of the mask, the noise, the discomfort, claustrophobia, or the inconvenience while traveling — oral appliance therapy is very likely a strong option for you.

The most effective sleep apnea treatment is the one you’ll actually use every night. An oral appliance that you wear consistently will outperform a CPAP machine gathering dust on your nightstand every time.

You’re a side sleeper or stomach sleeper

CPAP requires you to maintain a certain position to keep the mask sealed. If you move around in your sleep, it can dislodge and lose effectiveness. An oral appliance moves with you — no hoses, no mask, no positional limitations.

You travel frequently

Oral appliances are small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, require no power source, and go through airport security without a second glance. For frequent travelers, this convenience often makes the difference between consistent treatment and going untreated on the road.

You snore significantly but haven’t been formally diagnosed yet

Primary snoring — snoring without the breathing interruptions of sleep apnea — can also be effectively treated with an oral appliance. If you’re not sure whether you have sleep apnea or simply loud snoring, a home sleep test can tell you quickly and comfortably without an overnight stay in a sleep lab.

What does the process look like at Love Sleep?

We designed our process to be as simple and low-barrier as possible. Here’s what to expect:

Step 1	Free consultation — We start with a conversation. You tell us your symptoms, your sleep history, and any previous treatment experiences. No obligation, no pressure.
Step 2	Home sleep test — If you haven’t been formally diagnosed with sleep apnea, we offer a home sleep test you can take in the comfort of your own bed. Results are reviewed by a board-certified sleep physician.
Step 3	Custom appliance fitting — If you’re a candidate, we take impressions of your teeth to create a device that fits precisely to your mouth. No one-size-fits-all solutions here.
Step 4	Follow-up and fine-tuning — Once you begin wearing your appliance, we schedule follow-up appointments to adjust it for maximum comfort and effectiveness. A follow-up sleep test confirms it’s working.

Why see a dentist for sleep apnea at all?

It’s a fair question. Sleep apnea is a medical condition, so why is a dentist involved?

The answer is anatomy. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a problem in the oral airway — the same territory that dentists spend their careers understanding. The jaw, the tongue, the soft palate, the bite — these are the structures involved in airway obstruction, and they’re the structures a dentist is uniquely trained to work with.

At Love Sleep, Dr. Sheri Love brings years of specialized training in dental sleep medicine. She works in close coordination with sleep physicians to ensure that every patient receives a proper medical diagnosis and that the oral appliance is fitted and calibrated to deliver real, measurable results.

Did you know? Sleep apnea raises your risk of heart arrhythmias by 2–4x and your risk of heart failure by 140%. Treating it isn’t just about sleeping better — it can be life-saving.

The real question isn’t just “am I a candidate?”

The real question is: what is untreated sleep apnea costing you right now?

The fatigue that makes you feel like a lesser version of yourself every day. The mood changes and brain fog. The strain on your relationship when your partner can’t sleep either. The long-term cardiovascular risk that quietly compounds with every night of untreated apnea.

Most patients who come through our doors have been living with this for years — sometimes decades — before finding a solution that actually fits their life.

If any part of this article sounds familiar, you’re already closer to an answer than you think.

Ready to find out if oral appliance therapy is right for you?

Call Love Sleep Wichita at 316-440-9700 or visit lovesleepwichita.com to schedule your free consultation. Dr. Love and her team are here to help you — and your partner — finally get the sleep you deserve.