Treat Your Sleep Apnea With Us
If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea but struggle with CPAP, or your partner has noticed loud snoring or pauses in your breathing, you may be wondering what to do next. At the Center for Dental Sleep Health, located within Levesque Dentistry in Nashua, NH, Dr. Tara Levesque-Vogel and Dr. Keith Levesque help patients understand their treatment options and determine whether oral appliance therapy may be right for them.
We know that finding a treatment you can use consistently isn’t always easy. Some patients have difficulty tolerating a CPAP mask, while others have been referred by their physician to explore a custom oral appliance. Whatever brings you to us, our goal is to understand your situation, explain your options, and help you make an informed decision about your sleep health.
Our team works with patients and their medical providers to support treatment based on each person’s diagnosis, health, and needs. Oral appliance therapy can be an effective treatment for many people with obstructive sleep apnea, particularly those with mild to moderate sleep apnea or those who have difficulty tolerating CPAP.
Have questions about your treatment options? Call the Center for Dental Sleep Health at (603) 886-4300 to discuss a consultation.
Where Are You in Your Sleep Apnea Journey?
You don’t need to know which treatment you need before contacting us. Understanding what brought you here can help us determine the most appropriate next step.
- You’ve been diagnosed but can’t tolerate CPAP. If your mask, pressure, noise, or nightly routine makes treatment difficult, an oral appliance may be worth discussing with your sleep physician and our team.
- Your partner has noticed snoring or pauses in your breathing. These can be signs of obstructive sleep apnea. A medical evaluation and appropriate sleep testing can help determine whether you have the condition.
- Your physician or sleep specialist referred you for an oral appliance. We’ll review your diagnosis and treatment needs, discuss the available options, and determine whether a custom device is appropriate.
- You’ve heard about alternatives to CPAP. Oral appliance therapy is one option for eligible patients. We’ll explain how it works, what treatment involves, and what you can expect from follow-up care.
If you haven’t been diagnosed with sleep apnea, we can discuss your concerns and help you understand the steps involved in obtaining an appropriate evaluation.
What Are Your Sleep Apnea Treatment Options?
The right treatment depends on the type and severity of your sleep apnea, your medical history, and your ability to use the treatment consistently.
CPAP Therapy
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. It uses a mask and a machine to deliver pressurized air that helps keep the airway open during sleep. CPAP works well for many patients, but it isn’t always easy to tolerate. Mask discomfort, air leaks, pressure sensations, equipment maintenance, and travel can make consistent use challenging.
If you’ve struggled with CPAP, talk with your medical provider before stopping treatment. Depending on your diagnosis and circumstances, adjustments or an alternative approach may help.
Oral Appliance Therapy
A custom oral appliance is a small, removable device worn during sleep. Many oral appliances for obstructive sleep apnea work by positioning the lower jaw forward to help keep the airway open.
For eligible patients, oral appliance therapy can be an alternative to CPAP without a mask, tubing, or machine. The device needs to be selected and fitted to your needs, with follow-up to assess comfort, side effects, and treatment effectiveness.
At the Center for Dental Sleep Health, we offer different oral appliance options, including the Herbst appliance and the ProSomnus EVO® Guided Sleep and Snore Device. Each has a different design, and the most appropriate choice depends on your oral health, diagnosis, and treatment needs.
Herbst Appliance
A Herbst appliance is a type of oral appliance that uses connecting arms or a similar mechanism to help position the lower jaw forward during sleep. This positioning can help reduce airway obstruction in appropriately selected patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Your comfort, jaw movement, bite, and oral health are important considerations when determining whether this type of appliance is suitable for you. Our team can explain how the device works, what wearing it involves, and what follow-up care may be needed.
ProSomnus EVO® Guided Sleep and Snore Device
The ProSomnus EVO® Guided Sleep and Snore Device is a precision oral appliance developed for obstructive sleep apnea treatment. Its guided-post design helps direct jaw positioning, with a design intended to address airway space in the throat.
Like other oral appliances, it’s worn during sleep and is custom-made for the patient. Whether it is the right option for you depends on your clinical needs and the treating provider’s assessment.
Which Sleep Appliance Is Right for You?
There isn’t one appliance that works best for everyone. During your consultation, we’ll consider your diagnosis, dental health, jaw comfort, previous treatment experience, and other relevant factors before recommending an option.
Both device selection and ongoing follow-up matter. If an oral appliance is appropriate, we’ll explain the fitting process, discuss what to expect as you adjust to wearing it, and coordinate with your medical provider as needed to evaluate treatment effectiveness.
If you’re having trouble using CPAP or have been referred for oral appliance therapy, contact us to discuss your options. Call (603) 886-4300 to schedule a consultation with the Center for Dental Sleep Health in Nashua, NH.
Why Choose the Center for Dental Sleep Health?
Sleep apnea treatment involves more than selecting a device. The right approach requires an understanding of the patient’s sleep history, airway, diagnosis, oral health, and overall well-being.
Our focus on dental sleep medicine helps us approach oral appliance therapy with those factors in mind. We work to understand what a patient needs from treatment, explain the available options, and provide appropriate follow-up rather than simply delivering an appliance and leaving the patient to manage the rest.
Specialized Training and Individualized Care
As Dr. Keith Levesque explains: “Very few dentists have in-depth training in dental sleep medicine. With so many different appliances available, that training matters – it helps us choose the right approach for each patient and minimize the risk of side effects or ineffective treatment.”
Dr. Tara Levesque-Vogel shares a similar perspective. Her experience in sleep medicine has reinforced that effective treatment requires more than choosing an appliance. Understanding the patient’s sleep, airway, and overall health helps guide the evaluation and treatment process.
Our goal is to provide care that considers the whole patient, with long-term follow-up to assess how treatment is working and address concerns that may arise.
A Team That Understands CPAP Frustration
If CPAP hasn’t worked well for you, we want to hear about that experience. We understand that difficulty using a treatment doesn’t mean you haven’t tried hard enough.
Dr. Tara puts it this way: “I want patients to know that struggling with CPAP doesn’t mean they’ve failed at treating their sleep apnea.”
During your consultation, we’ll discuss your diagnosis, what has made previous treatment difficult, and what you hope to improve. If oral appliance therapy is appropriate, we’ll work with you to identify an option that balances comfort, effectiveness, and your health needs.
Why Better Sleep Matters to Us
For Dr. Tara Levesque-Vogel, one of the most rewarding parts of patient care is making a difference in someone’s health and quality of life. She is particularly interested in the connection between sleep, overall health, and healthy aging.
Dr. Keith Levesque also values helping patients who have struggled with treatment find an approach they can realistically use. Sleep apnea can affect daytime energy, general well-being, and the people who share your sleeping environment.
These perspectives shape our approach: listen carefully, explain your options, and help you work toward effective treatment with appropriate medical collaboration and follow-up.
What to Expect at Your Consultation
We want you to understand what comes next before committing to a treatment plan. Your care will depend on your diagnosis and individual circumstances, but the process generally involves several steps.
- Discuss Your Concerns and Treatment History: We’ll ask about your sleep apnea diagnosis, any sleep study results, your experience with CPAP or other treatments, and the difficulties you want to address.
- Review Your Treatment Needs: We’ll consider the available clinical information, your oral health, and whether an oral appliance may be suitable. If additional medical evaluation or information is needed, we’ll explain the next steps.
- Discuss Your Options: If oral appliance therapy is appropriate, we’ll explain how the device works, what fitting involves, potential limitations or side effects, and what to expect during treatment.
- Plan for Fitting and Follow-Up: If you proceed with a custom appliance, we’ll arrange the necessary fitting and adjustments. Follow-up is important for evaluating comfort and treatment progress. Your medical provider may also recommend repeat sleep testing to assess how well the appliance controls your sleep apnea.
Our aim is to make the process understandable and give you the information you need to make an informed decision.
Insurance and Sleep Apnea Treatment Costs
We understand that insurance coverage and treatment costs can affect your decision to seek care. The amount you pay depends on your insurance plan, eligibility, recommended treatment, and other individual factors.
The Center for Dental Sleep Health works with Medicare DME coverage and many medical insurance plans for eligible patients receiving oral appliance therapy. Coverage isn’t automatic, so we recommend verifying your benefits before beginning treatment.
When contacting our office, ask about:
- Whether your medical insurance covers oral appliance therapy.
- Any referral, diagnosis, or documentation requirements.
- Your expected out-of-pocket expenses.
- Deductibles, copayments, and other applicable costs.
Our team can help you understand the information needed to check your benefits and clarify the next steps. Contact our Nashua dental office at (603) 886-4300 to discuss your situation.
Let’s Discuss Your Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
You don’t have to keep struggling with a treatment that isn’t working well for you without exploring other possibilities. Whether you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, received a referral for an oral appliance, or have concerns about your breathing during sleep, our team can help you understand your next steps.
At the Center for Dental Sleep Health, we take time to listen, explain treatment options, and consider your individual needs. Our goal is to help you pursue effective care that supports your sleep and overall well-being.
Call (603) 886-4300 to discuss a consultation. The Center for Dental Sleep Health is located at 193 Kinsley St., Nashua, NH 03060. We welcome patients from Nashua and surrounding communities, including Hudson, Merrimack, and Milford.