Sleep Apnea Treatment in Nashville
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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic and often undiagnosed condition where you repeatedly stop breathing while you sleep. These pauses in oxygen flow not only prevent deep, recuperative sleep but also put your body under consistent nightly stress. Many people live with OSA for years without knowing it, some have no symptoms while others struggle with things like daily fatigue, headaches, and worsening related health problems.
At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we understand how untreated sleep apnea affects every part of your life—your mood, focus, relationships, and long-term health. Dr. Ryan Jones and Dr. Caleb Estes offer simple, non-invasive treatments that can help you breathe better, sleep soundly, and reclaim the energy and wellness you deserve.
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and why should you be concerned?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related condition that causes temporary interruptions in breathing while sleeping. This pause in breathing occurs when the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat relax during sleep, closing together and blocking airflow partially or entirely—sometimes hundreds of times per night. When the brain notices oxygen deprivation, it arouses the body to wake up and breathe. Each pause in breathing reduces oxygen levels, triggers a stress response, and disrupts your sleep cycle via repeated microarousals to make you start breathing again. Although the stoppages of breathing are brief and most people are unaware it’s even happening because they don’t fully awaken, these episodes can occur up to a hundred per hour in severe cases. Imagine what this does to your sleep and body! Having sleep apnea episodes, night after night, disrupts your recuperative sleep and stresses your body, potentially causing numerous emotional and physical health issues.
This constant interruption prevents deep, restorative rest and places your body under chronic stress. Left untreated, OSA significantly increases your risk for:
- Chronic fatigue
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Obesity
- GERD (acid reflux)
- Depression, anxiety, and mood disorders
- Morning headaches
- Sexual dysfunction
What are the symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
Because most people suffering from sleep apnea don’t fully wake during these episodes, they often don’t realize anything is wrong. Common symptoms include:
- Chronic snoring, often disturbing others
- Daytime sleepiness
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Waking with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Difficulty concentrating or memory problems
- Clenching or grinding teeth at night
- Morning headaches
- High blood pressure
- Mood changes, irritability, or depression
Risk factors include being overweight, having a large neck circumference (17+ inches in men, 16+ in women), nasal obstruction, large tonsils or tongue, and family history of sleep apnea.
How is Sleep Apnea diagnosed?
Diagnosing sleep apnea typically involves a sleep study to monitor your breathing, oxygen levels, and sleep stages. At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we can send patients home with the MediByte Jr.—a compact, easy-to-use at-home sleep testing device. This allows for convenient and accurate screening in the comfort of your own bed.
Based on the results, we coordinate with board-certified sleep physicians to confirm diagnosis and determine an effective treatment plan.
How is Sleep Apnea severity diagnosed and what do the levels mean?
Sleep apnea is diagnosed using a sleep study that measures the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI)—the number of breathing interruptions per hour of sleep. Mild OSA is defined as 5–14 events per hour, moderate as 15–29, and severe as 30 or more. In severe cases, patients may experience airflow blockage up to 100 times per hour, leading to major oxygen deprivation and sleep disruption. Identifying the severity helps guide treatment decisions, from lifestyle changes to CPAP or oral appliance therapy.
What are the treatment options for Sleep Apnea?
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy is usually the first medically recommended treatment for OSA. They create a steady airflow, preventing the airway from blocking the flow of air when sleeping. For moderate to severe cases of OSA, a properly set up CPAP is the most effective treatment. CPAPs work, but many patients find them difficult to tolerate and discontinue their use because of the noise and discomfort.
For mild to moderate OSA, or for patients who can’t tolerate CPAP, oral appliance therapy (OAT) can be a highly effective alternative.
What is Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) and how does it work?
Oral appliances, also known as mandibular repositioning devices (MRDs), are custom-made dental devices worn at night. They work by gently opening and advancing the lower jaw into a more open and forward position with the goal of preventing the tongue and other soft tissues from causing a blockage of airflow and preserving an open airway during sleep.
At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we offer several advanced, fully digital-workflow types of MRDs.
These devices are compact, silent, travel-friendly, and easy to use—making them a comfortable and effective solution for many patients.
Benefits of oral appliance therapy include:
- Improved airflow and oxygen levels
- Reduced or eliminated snoring
- Fewer nighttime awakenings
- Enhanced sleep quality and daytime energy
- Better compliance compared to CPAP in many patients
Sleep Apnea Treatment FAQs
What’s the difference between snoring and sleep apnea?
Snoring is the sound of vibrating soft tissues. Sleep apnea involves actual airway blockages that interrupt breathing and sleep.
What’s the difference between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS)?
OSA and UARS are both sleep-disordered breathing conditions, but they differ in severity and mechanism. OSA involves complete or partial blockages of the airway that lead to oxygen desaturation and frequent awakenings. UARS, on the other hand, is caused by subtle narrowing of the airway that increases resistance but may not fully obstruct breathing or cause noticeable drops in oxygen levels. UARS patients often experience fatigue, fragmented sleep, and mood disturbances despite having a “normal” sleep study. Both conditions can be treated with similar approaches, including oral appliance therapy.
Are oral appliances as effective as CPAP?
For patients with mild to moderate OSA, oral appliances can be effective and easier to use consistently. Oral appliances are usually not recommended for severe OSA. Nothing is more effective than a properly titrated and well fitting CPAP if used correctly.
Is Sleep Apnea curable?
While not typically curable, it is highly manageable with the right treatment approach.
How long does it take to get fitted for a device?
Using digital scans and design, we are able to deliver most appliances in 1-2 weeks.
Can I travel with my oral appliance?
Absolutely. They are small, easy to pack, and require no electricity—perfect for travel.
What is MediByte Jr. and how does it work?
The MediByte Jr. is a portable at-home sleep study device that monitors your breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and sleep activity overnight. It’s a convenient first step in screening for sleep apnea and often is detailed enough to allow for a full diagnosis to be made.
Where can I get Sleep Apnea treatment in Nashville?
If you're struggling with sleep apnea or CPAP intolerance, we can help. At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we provide custom solutions to improve your sleep, protect your health, and help you feel like yourself again.
Located in Franklin, TN, we proudly serve patients from Nashville, Brentwood, Cool Springs, and surrounding areas.
Call (615) 640-8494 or request your consultation online to take the first step toward better sleep.
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Nashville Restorative Dentistry
Dr. Ryan M. Jones
Ryan M. Jones, DDS, FAGD, focuses on delivering excellence in dental care and creating beautiful smiles, fighting disease and inflammation, using biocompatible materials, and educating patients about their scope of treatment options. He is an alumnus of Brentwood High School, the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), and the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry (Memphis). He is a graduate and mentor for the Kois Center in Seattle, a world-class post-graduate facility focusing on comprehensive patient care. He has taken the Pikos Institute (Tampa, FL) curriculum, which is focused on advanced surgical techniques. He’s also earned a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) and is currently expanding his digital dentistry and Exocad knowledge in various courses.Dr. Jones is also passionate about providing for the underserved and has taken part in many dentistry-related charity and community projects.
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Dr. Caleb M. Estes
Caleb M. Estes, DMD, FAGD, is a dedicated professional with a strong academic background and extensive postdoctoral education. After graduating from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville and earning his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the SIU School of Dental Medicine, he has constantly pursued advanced training. He has earned a Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry and is a graduate of the prestigious Kois Center. Before joining Nashville Restorative Dentistry, he served in the US Army as a general dentist and a Captain, deploying alongside US and NATO forces to Afghanistan in 2015. He also completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program with the Army during this time.Dr. Estes’ passion is to provide excellence in clinical dentistry and patient care while using the best restorative and preventative materials available. Accomplished in both surgical and restorative dentistry, he finds great fulfillment in transforming smiles and instilling confidence in his patients.
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Are you concerned about what sleep apnea could be doing to your health?
At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we offer an alternative to CPAP – customized oral appliance therapy (OAT) that can comfortably treat sleep apnea and help you breathe easier and sleep better, reclaiming restorative, uninterrupted rest.
Call (615) 640-8494 to schedule your sleep assessment.
We are located in Franklin, TN, and serve Cool Springs, Brentwood, Nashville, and beyond.
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Issue: Two badly infected and broken upper front teeth as well as poor alignment of his teeth overall.
Solution: Through a process involving extractions, bone grafting, and braces we were able to achieve a healthy, infection free point which allowed dental implants to be placed and utilized to replace the two missing front teeth.
