What Is Sleep Apnea and Sleep-Disordered Breathing?

Sleep apnea occurs when your airway repeatedly collapses or becomes blocked while you sleep. This disruption interrupts your oxygen intake and keeps your body from reaching sleep’s deep, restorative stages. At our office, we provide comprehensive dental care in San Jose, which includes evaluating and treating conditions like sleep apnea that can affect both your health and quality of life.

Many patients experience symptoms without realizing they stem from their breathing at night. Understanding how sleep apnea works can help you recognize when it may be time to seek help.

Los Gatos man snoring, needing sleep apnea treatment

Common Signs and Symptoms

Sleep apnea often shows up in both nighttime and daytime symptoms. If you or a loved one notices these patterns, it may be a sign to schedule an evaluation.

  • Loud or chronic snoring
  • Gasping, choking, or pauses in breathing during sleep
  • Restless sleep or frequent awakenings
  • Morning headaches or sore throat
  • Dry mouth upon waking
  • Daytime sleepiness, poor focus, or irritability
  • Jaw soreness, clenching, or worn teeth, which may indicate TMJ issues

Why Sleep Apnea Matters

Untreated sleep apnea can put your health at risk. Poor sleep and a lack of oxygen affect every system of the body, from cardiovascular health to mood regulation.

Possible consequences include:

  • High blood pressure and increased risk of stroke
  • Heart strain and irregular heart rhythms
  • Acid reflux or GERD
  • Difficulty concentrating and memory problems
  • Depression, anxiety, and irritability

Untreated sleep apnea in children may contribute to attention issues, hyperactivity, and bedwetting. Early evaluation is important for patients of every age.

How We Diagnose With Your Physician

A formal diagnosis is necessary before starting sleep apnea treatment, usually through an at-home sleep test or a clinical sleep study. At Top Down Dental, we provide initial screenings and work closely with your physician to ensure you receive an accurate diagnosis and proper medical oversight. Once sleep apnea is confirmed, our role is to focus on dental solutions—custom oral appliances designed to keep your airway open comfortably throughout the night. These devices are a trusted alternative to CPAP and surgery, giving you a dentist-led path to better sleep and overall health.

woman sleeping at night

Dentist-Led Treatments We Offer

Our practice focuses on comfortable, noninvasive therapies that are proven to reduce snoring and improve breathing. You will not find machines or surgical options here—only treatments that you can manage easily at home.

Custom Oral Appliance Therapy

Oral appliance therapy uses a small, custom-fit device you wear at night. The appliance gently repositions your lower jaw and tongue to keep your airway open.

Benefits include:

  • Comfortable and easy to wear
  • Quiet and travel-friendly
  • Simple to clean and maintain
  • Often effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea

The process begins with impressions or digital scans, followed by a fitting. Dr. Nehawandian will make adjustments to ensure comfort and effectiveness, and follow-up testing confirms your results.

DNA Appliance for Airway Development

Some patients benefit from structural airway support. The DNA Appliance works by gradually expanding the dental arch and improving airflow. Unlike oral appliances worn nightly, the DNA Appliance aims to create long-term airway changes.

This approach may be beneficial for patients with narrow arches, chronic mouth breathing, or crowding that contributes to restricted airflow.

Myofunctional Therapy

Our myofunctional therapy program focuses on retraining the muscles of the tongue, lips, and cheeks. By improving tongue posture and encouraging nasal breathing, myofunctional therapy can reduce snoring and support the long-term stability of appliances.

How it helps:

  • Improves airway function
  • Reinforces results of oral or DNA appliances
  • Supports jaw comfort and muscle balance

Is Oral Appliance Therapy Right for You?

Not every patient is a candidate for oral appliances, but many find them a life-changing solution. You may be a good candidate if you:

  • Snore regularly or have mild to moderate sleep apnea
  • Prefer a quiet, compact option for travel and daily use
  • Have struggled to tolerate bulkier therapies
  • Want a comfortable, dentist-guided approach

Sleep Apnea Self-Screening

A quick self-assessment can help you understand if you are at risk for sleep apnea. Our interactive screening tool, designed in the same format as our TMJ assessment, guides you through symptoms, risk factors, and impact on your daily life. At the end, you will receive a personalized summary with recommended next steps, including whether to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nehawandian.

What to Expect at Top Down Dental

When you come to our San Jose office, you can expect a supportive and thorough experience.

Your visit typically includes:

  • A detailed airway and bite evaluation, with imaging as needed
  • Discussion of your health history and symptoms
  • A review of treatment options, including oral appliance therapy, the DNA Appliance, and myofunctional therapy
  • Appliance fitting, titration, and follow-up care
  • Coordination with your physician for sleep testing to confirm results

Why Choose Our San Jose Team

Dr. Nancy Nehawandian combines advanced training and experience with a commitment to patient comfort. As a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), she brings an evidence-based approach to every treatment plan. Our philosophy emphasizes whole-body health, ensuring that airway function, jaw comfort, and quality sleep work together for your well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

We know choosing a sleep apnea treatment raises a lot of questions. To make things easier, we’ve gathered clear answers to the ones we often hear from our patients.

They reposition your jaw and tongue to keep your airway open, reducing snoring and apnea events.

They may be an option if other treatments are not tolerated, but this requires close collaboration with your physician and follow-up testing.

Oral appliances are worn nightly, while the DNA Appliance works toward long-term airway development and may reduce the need for nightly support over time.

We carefully monitor your bite and jaw comfort, making adjustments when needed. Myofunctional therapy can also help maintain balance and comfort.

Yes. A sleep study confirms your diagnosis and verifies that your treatment works as intended.

Many patients see improvements in snoring right away. Full results may take several weeks as your appliance is adjusted and fine-tuned.

Yes. Pediatric patients showing red flags may benefit from early intervention with growth-focused approaches such as the DNA Appliance.

Take the Next Step Toward Better Sleep

If you or a loved one snores, feels tired during the day, or has been told about pauses in breathing during sleep, it may be time to consider a dental solution. At Top Down Dental, we offer comfortable, effective sleep apnea treatments designed to fit your life. Call us today at (408) 354-5600 our online booking form to request your consultation in San Jose.