Snoring can feel like a harmless quirk. But loud, regular snoring is often the sound of a struggling airway, and for millions of adults it is the most visible sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that quietly wears down your health night after night.
At Kwon & Jabbour Dental in Walnut Creek, Dr. Julie Kwon and Dr. Hani Jabbour treat sleep apnea and snoring with custom oral appliance therapy: a small, comfortable mouthpiece worn during sleep. For many patients it is a welcome alternative to CPAP. As part of our total wellness approach, we look at how your airway, jaw, and bite work together, because healthy sleep and a healthy mouth are deeply connected.
Snoring is the sound of air squeezing through a narrowed airway. The tissue at the back of your throat vibrates, and that vibration is the noise. Plenty of people snore lightly now and then.
Sleep apnea is more serious. With obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the airway doesn't just narrow, it repeatedly collapses or gets blocked. Breathing actually stops, sometimes hundreds of times a night, and each pause forces your brain to briefly wake you. You don't remember these wake-ups, but your body never gets the deep, restorative sleep it needs.
Snoring deserves a closer look when it is loud and frequent, comes with gasping or choking sounds, or when a bed partner notices pauses in your breathing. Daytime clues matter too: waking up tired, morning headaches, dry mouth, irritability, and nodding off in the afternoon. If that sounds like you or someone you love, it is worth getting screened.
Sleep apnea is not just about being tired. Every time your breathing stops, your oxygen dips and your body releases stress hormones. Over years, that strain adds up. Untreated sleep apnea has been linked to:
That last one is where we come in. Dentists are often the first to spot sleep apnea, because the mouth shows the evidence: worn teeth and a jaw sore from nighttime clenching.
CPAP machines work well, but many people simply can't sleep with a mask and hose. If CPAP has been a struggle, or your sleep apnea is mild to moderate, oral appliance therapy may be the answer.
An oral sleep appliance looks a bit like a slim athletic mouthguard. Custom-made from impressions of your teeth, it gently holds your lower jaw slightly forward while you sleep, which keeps your airway open so air flows quietly and freely. Patients love oral appliances because they are:
For a deeper look at how sleep-related breathing problems are identified, our article on what sleep-disordered breathing is and how it is diagnosed is a helpful place to start.
Oral appliance therapy is a great fit for many people. You may be a strong candidate if:
One important note: sleep apnea is a medical condition, and the diagnosis comes from a sleep study ordered by a physician. We work hand in hand with your doctor. If you haven't been tested yet, we can screen you in our office and help coordinate testing, often with a home sleep test you take in your own bed.
We keep the path from "I think I snore too much" to "I finally feel rested" as simple as possible.
We start with a conversation about your sleep, energy, and health history, then examine your airway, jaw, tongue, and teeth for signs of sleep-disordered breathing.
If testing is needed, we help coordinate a sleep study with your physician, often a convenient home sleep test. The results tell us whether you have apnea and how significant it is.
Once oral appliance therapy is the right fit, we take precise impressions and design an appliance made specifically for your mouth and jaw position. At delivery, we fine-tune it for comfort and effectiveness.
Sleep therapy is not "fit it and forget it." We see you for follow-up visits to adjust the appliance, confirm it is working, and protect your bite and jaw joints.
Can TMJ cause snoring? Can sleep apnea cause jaw pain? The two are connected more often than most people realize, and we treat both in the same office.
When your airway narrows at night, your body instinctively tenses the jaw and grinds the teeth to keep the airway open. That nightly clenching strains the temporomandibular joints (the TMJ, your jaw joints), leading to morning jaw pain, headaches, and worn teeth. It works in the other direction too: a lower jaw that sits too far back can crowd the airway and make snoring worse.
Because Dr. Kwon and Dr. Jabbour provide both TMJ treatment in Walnut Creek and sleep apnea therapy, we design your appliance with both your airway and your jaw joints in mind. Treating one without watching the other can trade a sleep problem for a jaw problem. We make sure you get relief on both fronts. Curious about jaw disorders themselves? Start with our plain-English guide to what TMD is.
Snoring in children is not "cute" and it is not typical. A child who snores regularly, breathes through the mouth, grinds their teeth, or struggles with focus during the day may have an airway problem that deserves attention.
The good news: children's jaws and airways are still growing, which gives us a window adults don't have. Through our pediatric growth and development program, including HealthyStart airway appliances, we can gently guide jaw growth to support open airways, better sleep, and healthier development.
Not sure whether your sleep is the problem? Run through this list:
If you checked two or more, a simple screening at our Walnut Creek office is a smart next step.
Often, yes. Because sleep apnea is a medical condition, oral appliance therapy is frequently billed through medical insurance rather than dental insurance, and coverage varies by plan. Our team helps you understand your options and maximize your benefits, and we offer 0% financing through CareCredit. You can learn more on our financing options page.
Diagnosis requires a sleep study interpreted by a physician. That sounds involved, but it usually isn't: many patients qualify for a home sleep test, a small device you wear for a night or two in your own bed. We screen you in our office, coordinate testing with your doctor, and review the results with you before recommending treatment.
You deserve to wake up rested, and your partner deserves a quiet night. Dr. Kwon and Dr. Jabbour will listen, screen your airway, and build a comfortable treatment plan that fits your life.
We proudly serve Walnut Creek and nearby communities including Concord, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Alamo, and San Ramon, from our office at 108 La Casa Via near John Muir Medical Center, Monday through Thursday.
Call (925) 930-8465 or request an appointment online to schedule your sleep and airway screening.
Kwon & Jabbour Dental, 108 La Casa Via, Suite 102, Walnut Creek, CA 94598
