Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Treatment Brisbane CBD
Are you looking for a solution to snoring or sleep apnoea in Brisbane CBD?
Snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea affect more than a good night’s sleep — they affect your energy, your health and often your partner’s sleep too. At our Brisbane CBD practice, we work with your GP and sleep physician to provide custom-made oral appliances for snoring and sleep apnoea.
Snoring and sleep apnoea management in Brisbane CBD
If you’ve been told you snore, wake up unrefreshed or struggle to stay awake during the day, there are effective options. We see patients for snoring and sleep apnoea from their first questions through to fitting and long-term care of a custom mandibular advancement splint (MAS) — always as part of a team with your GP and sleep physician.
What is obstructive sleep apnoea?
When you sleep, the muscles and soft tissues at the back of your throat relax. In obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), they relax enough to block your airway, so your breathing stops for 10 seconds or more. Your oxygen drops, and your brain wakes you briefly to start breathing again — sometimes dozens of times an hour, without you remembering.
Snoring is the sound of a partly narrowed airway. Not everyone who snores has sleep apnoea, but loud, regular snoring is its most common sign.
Untreated, sleep apnoea is linked to high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems, type 2 diabetes and stroke. Read more in Is Sleep Apnoea Making Your Health Harder to Manage?
Signs of snoring and sleep apnoea
- Loud, regular snoring
- Pauses in breathing, gasping or choking during sleep (often noticed by a partner)
- Waking up unrefreshed, even after 7 or more hours in bed
- Daytime sleepiness — nodding off in meetings, on the couch or as a passenger
- Morning headaches or a dry mouth
- Poor concentration, irritability or low mood
- Grinding or clenching your teeth
Not sure if you’re tired or sleepy? Read Are You Tired or Sleepy? or find out more about the hidden risks of snoring.
Do you diagnose sleep apnoea?
No. Sleep apnoea is diagnosed with a sleep study, interpreted by a sleep physician (a medical doctor with extra training in sleep disorders). What we can do is spot the signs — often at a routine check-up — help you start the referral through your GP, and fit and manage an oral appliance if your sleep physician recommends one.
Find out what your dentist can spot and what happens at a sleep study.
What is a mandibular advancement splint (MAS)?
A MAS is a custom-made appliance you wear at night, a bit like two thin mouthguards — one on your top teeth, one on your bottom. It gently holds your lower jaw forward. Because your tongue is attached to your lower jaw, it comes forward too, opening up the space at the back of your throat.
A MAS can help with:
- Snoring
- Mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea
- Severe sleep apnoea, when CPAP isn’t tolerated (as recommended by your sleep physician)
Is a MAS right for me?
Many adults with snoring or mild to moderate sleep apnoea are suitable. We’ll check:
- Your sleep study report and your sleep physician’s recommendation
- That you have enough healthy teeth to hold the appliance
- The health of your gums
- Your jaw joints and how your teeth bite together
A MAS may not be the best option if your snoring is mainly caused by your nose, sinuses or large tonsils — in that case, an ENT referral may be more helpful. For more severe sleep apnoea, CPAP is usually recommended first.
Our process for snoring and sleep apnoea
- Sleep study — arranged through your GP and an independent sleep physician, if you haven’t already had one. Most are done at home.
- MAS assessment — we review your sleep study report, your medical and dental history, your teeth, gums, jaw joints and bite.
- Digital scans — we take scans of your teeth so your appliance is made precisely for your mouth.
- Fitting — we fit your MAS, check it’s comfortable and show you how to wear and care for it.
- Adjustments — over the first few weeks, we gradually move your lower jaw forward until we find the position that works best for you.
- Follow-up sleep study — your sleep physician may ask for a study while you wear your MAS, to confirm it’s working.
- Ongoing reviews — we check your appliance, teeth and bite at your regular check-ups.
Comfortable, custom-made appliances
- Made from digital scans — no messy impressions
- Thin and light — you can talk and drink while wearing it
- Adjustable over time, so we can fine-tune the fit
- Also protects your teeth if you grind at night
Some people notice tender teeth or jaw muscles in the morning, or extra saliva, in the first few weeks. These usually settle. We’ll talk you through what to expect, and give you exercises or a morning repositioner to help your bite settle each day.
MAS or CPAP?
CPAP uses a mask and a small bedside machine to keep your airway open. It’s very effective when used every night, and usually recommended first for severe sleep apnoea. A MAS is quieter, easier to travel with and many people find it easier to wear. Some people use both — CPAP at home and a MAS for travel. The right choice depends on your sleep study results, and it’s a decision you make with your sleep physician.
How much does a MAS cost in Brisbane?
The cost of a MAS depends on:
- The type of appliance your sleep physician recommends
- Any dental treatment needed first
- The number of adjustment and review appointments
We’ll give you a written treatment plan with fees upfront after your assessment. Many health funds cover part of the cost under major dental — check with your fund.
Why patients choose Dentistry on George for snoring and sleep apnoea in Brisbane CBD
- Central Brisbane CBD location, easy to fit around work
- We work with your GP and sleep physician, not instead of them
- Custom-made appliances from digital scans, with adjustments and reviews included in your care
- Clear explanations and upfront fees — no pressure
The Dentistry on George Difference
Quality Care
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