Adult Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment in Columbus, GA
A Restful Night Begins With Better Breathing
Quality sleep plays an important role in how you feel and function each day. If you snore, wake frequently, feel tired despite spending enough time in bed, or have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, disrupted breathing during sleep may be keeping you from getting the restorative rest you need.
At Whole Tree Dentistry, we take a comprehensive, airway-centered approach to adult sleep and breathing concerns. Dr. Lisa Strickland looks beyond symptoms alone to help identify factors that may be affecting your breathing and determine the most appropriate next steps for your individual needs.
Signs You May Have a Sleep-Related Breathing Problem
Sleep-related breathing problems do not always look the same from one person to another. Some people are aware that they snore, while others first learn about nighttime breathing changes from a spouse or family member.
Signs to watch for include:
- Loud or frequent snoring
- Pauses in breathing noticed by another person
- Gasping, choking, or coughing during sleep
- Restless sleep or frequent awakenings
- Waking with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Morning headaches
- Feeling tired or unrefreshed after a full night’s sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness or low energy
- Difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, or irritability
- Grinding or clenching your teeth
- Frequent trips to the bathroom during the night
These symptoms can have several possible causes and do not, by themselves, confirm obstructive sleep apnea. However, if you regularly experience one or more of these signs—or have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea—an airway and sleep evaluation can help determine the appropriate next steps.
How Whole Tree Evaluates Adult Airway and Sleep
Your evaluation may include a review of your symptoms, health and sleep history, previous testing, dental condition, bite, jaw position, nasal breathing, and oral and airway-related structures. When appropriate, we may also use 3D imaging, digital scans, photographs, a comprehensive head and neck examination, and at-home sleep testing.
If a diagnostic sleep study is needed, Dr. Strickland can prescribe the study, and the data is sent to a qualified sleep physician for interpretation and diagnosis. If you already have a sufficiently current diagnostic sleep study, the ring may sometimes be used as a screening tool to obtain updated information.
These findings help us determine whether oral appliance therapy may be appropriate or whether additional medical evaluation or referral to another healthcare provider is recommended.
Oral Appliance Therapy
For many adults with snoring or obstructive sleep apnea, a custom oral appliance can provide a comfortable and convenient treatment option. Worn during sleep, the appliance gently supports the lower jaw in a forward position to help keep the airway more open and promote steadier breathing.
Unlike over-the-counter devices, your oral appliance is selected and customized for your individual anatomy, dental condition, bite, and treatment needs. Dr. Lisa Strickland carefully adjusts the appliance over time to find an effective position while protecting your comfort, teeth, and jaw joints.
Oral appliance therapy may be appropriate for adults who:
- Have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea
- Have primary snoring without obstructive sleep apnea
- Cannot tolerate or consistently use CPAP
- Prefer an oral appliance when medically appropriate
- Need a small, portable treatment option for sleep or travel
Not everyone is a candidate for oral appliance therapy. A thorough evaluation and continued follow-up help determine whether this treatment is right for you. When treating obstructive sleep apnea, a medical diagnosis and physician’s prescription are required.
Request an Airway Consultation
Individualized Treatment Options
No single appliance is right for every patient. Dr. Strickland selects treatment based on your diagnosis, airway and oral anatomy, dental condition, bite, jaw function, treatment goals, and other individual factors.
Whole Tree Dentistry is a Vivos Integrated Practice, and our available treatment options include Vivos appliances, ProSomnus mandibular advancement devices, and other custom oral appliances. Dr. Strickland may also recommend additional airway-supportive care or collaboration with another healthcare provider when appropriate.
Your recommended treatment will be reviewed with you after your evaluation so that you understand why it was selected and what to expect.
A Patient’s Experience
Highly recommend! When I first came to Dr. Strickland, my daily routine went something like this: I would wake up out of breath and panting. I would think, "Wow, I'm exhausted!" Then I would begin my day. For the most part, my state of being was either "exhausted" or "more exhausted". Lots of forgetting, brain fog, etc... Now I actually sleep and have dreams. I wake up feeling refreshed. My treatment is still in the early stages but I already am feeling tremendous relief! The specially designed MAD has been the solution for me - I am intolerant of CPAP therapy. The CPAP actually caused me more problems and did not allow me to sleep. Even though I have Complex Sleep Apnea and mild facial deformity from a jaw injury years ago, Whole Tree Dentistry gave me the solutions I needed. The entire staff is super-friendly and made me feel comfortable from the very first time I stepped into the office. Imagine that - Looking forward to going to the Dentist! LOL! The office environment is clean and professional with nice, modern equipment. It's even kid-friendly. I was especially impressed with the education I received in caring for my health. I'm feeling much better and I am confident that this treatment will continue to be of help to me. Thank you Whole Tree Dentistry!!
What to Expect During Treatment
Once your custom oral appliance is ready, we will carefully fit it and show you how to insert, remove, and care for it. The appliance is typically adjusted gradually to move your lower jaw into a position that helps keep your airway more open while you sleep.
Follow-up visits allow us to evaluate your comfort, jaw movement, bite, appliance fit, and changes in symptoms such as snoring, restless sleep, or daytime fatigue. We gradually adjust the appliance based on your comfort and response to treatment.
Once the appliance has been comfortably adjusted, follow-up sleep testing may be recommended to objectively measure its effectiveness.
After treatment is stable, annual visits allow us to monitor your appliance, bite and jaw health, and any changes in your sleep or overall health.
Working With Your Physician
Sleep-related breathing disorders require a collaborative approach. Dr. Strickland evaluates the dental and airway factors that may affect your breathing and determines whether you are a candidate for oral appliance therapy. A qualified physician interprets diagnostic sleep testing and makes the medical diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea.
Before a mandibular advancement device can be provided to treat obstructive sleep apnea, a physician’s prescription is required. Our team can communicate with your physician to obtain the necessary prescription and coordinate appropriate follow-up testing and treatment updates.
Why Choose Dr. Strickland?
Dr. Lisa Strickland is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and has extensive training in dental sleep medicine, airway health, and oral appliance therapy. She combines advanced technology with a thoughtful, individualized approach to care.
Dr. Strickland carefully evaluates whether oral appliance therapy is appropriate and monitors appliance fit, comfort, bite changes, jaw health, and treatment progress throughout your care.
At Whole Tree Dentistry, our goal is to help you breathe and sleep better while protecting your long-term oral health.
Frequently Asked Questions
For some patients, a custom mandibular advancement device may be an effective alternative to CPAP. Whether it is appropriate for you depends on your diagnosis, medical history, oral health, airway anatomy, and other individual factors. You should not discontinue CPAP without first consulting the physician managing your sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea must be diagnosed by a qualified physician before an appliance can be prescribed for its treatment. If you do not have a current sleep study, Dr. Strickland can prescribe testing, with the results interpreted by a qualified sleep physician.
Please provide us with a copy of your report. If the study is sufficiently current and contains the information needed for treatment planning, additional diagnostic testing may not be necessary. Updated screening or testing may sometimes be recommended based on your symptoms and health history.
The appliance gently supports the lower jaw in a forward position while you sleep. This can help keep the airway more open and reduce breathing interruptions and snoring.
Most patients adjust well to a properly fitted custom appliance. Temporary jaw tenderness, tooth sensitivity, increased saliva, dry mouth, or changes in the way your bite feels can occur. We monitor these concerns and adjust the appliance as needed.
Improvement in snoring, sleep quality, and daytime symptoms is helpful, but symptoms alone cannot confirm treatment effectiveness. Follow-up sleep testing may be recommended once the appliance has been adjusted to objectively measure your response.
Yes. If sleep testing determines that you have primary snoring rather than obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Strickland can evaluate whether a custom oral appliance may be appropriate for you. Because snoring can also be a sign of sleep apnea, proper evaluation and sleep testing are important before beginning treatment.
No. Whole Tree Dentistry does not file medical insurance or Medicaid for sleep-related services or oral appliance therapy. Payment plans are available, and our team will review treatment fees and payment options with you before treatment begins.
