Dr. Sandeep Jain
Director / Registered Dentist
BDS (Delhi), MDS (Perio) (HK), AdvDipPeriodont (HK)
MRD RCSEd (Perio), MRACDS (Perio)
Speaks English, Hindi, Punjabi
Sleep Apnoea And Snoring
If you or someone you share a room with struggles with loud snoring or restless nights, you know how it can affect energy, mood, and overall health. At Discovery Bay Clinic, we provide thoughtful and modern care for sleep apnoea, helping you reclaim peaceful and restorative sleep. We use the TipTraQ sleep tracker and custom-made oral devices called Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs) to offer gentle and effective treatment tailored just for you.
Book a consultation today to start your journey toward better sleep!
Table of Contents
What Are MADs?
A MAD is a custom-made oral device, similar to a slim sports mouthguard, that you wear while you sleep. It’s designed to gently hold your lower jaw in a slightly forward position. This small adjustment—often just 3 to 4 millimetres—can make a significant difference in keeping your airway open throughout the night.
How does it work?
- Repositions the jaw and tongue: By moving the lower jaw forward, the device also guides the tongue forward, preventing it from blocking the throat.
- Opens the airway: This creates more space at the back of the throat, letting air pass smoothly and reducing the vibration that causes snoring.
- Supports breathing: By helping maintain an open airway, the device encourages steady breathing and oxygen flow throughout the night.
Why Choose a Custom MAD from a Dentist?
While over-the-counter “boil-and-bite” devices are available, they often come with challenges:
- Poor fit: One-size-fits-all rarely fits well. An uncomfortable device can cause jaw soreness and often ends up unused.
- Imprecise positioning: These devices can’t offer the gentle, exact adjustment needed to open your airway effectively.
- Potential side effects: Without a custom fit, the device may put pressure on your teeth or jaw in ways that could lead to discomfort or teeth shifting over time.
- No professional guidance: You’d be managing treatment alone, without expert advice or tailored adjustments.
With a custom-made device from our clinic, you receive:
- Personalised comfort: We take digital scans of your teeth to create a device that fits you—and only you—for all-night comfort.
- Precise adjustment: We can fine-tune the device to advance your jaw just enough to support breathing, without strain.
- Safe and monitored use: Your device is designed to protect your teeth and jaw, and we’re here to support you throughout your treatment.
- Professional oversight: We help determine if this approach is right for you and make sure you’re comfortable and confident every step of the way.
How We Help You Understand Your Sleep
If you suspect sleep apnoea, we offer a simple and clear path to understanding what’s happening:
1. At-home sleep screening
We provide a small, easy-to-use device (the TipTraQ) that you wear for several nights. It tracks your breathing and oxygen levels while you sleep in your own bed.
2. Review of your results
We explain what the data shows in a follow-up consultation, answering your questions in plain language.
3. Personalised next steps
If a MAD is a good fit for you, we create your custom device based on what we’ve learned from your test.
What is Sleep Apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night. These pauses can last from several seconds to a minute or longer and may occur dozens of times per hour. Very often, breathing resumes with a snort or gasp. This cycle interrupts deep sleep, leaving you tired even after a full night in bed.
The two most common types are:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): Caused by throat muscles relaxing and blocking the airway.
- Central Sleep Apnoea: Occurs when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.
How Is Snoring Connected to Sleep Apnoea?
Not everyone who snores has sleep apnoea, but snoring—especially when it’s loud and frequent—is one of the most common signs.
- Snoring happens when the flow of air causes relaxed tissues in the throat to vibrate.
- Sleep apnoea occurs when the airway becomes fully blocked, briefly stopping breathing.
If your snoring is often broken up by pauses, gasps, or choking sounds, it may be a sign of sleep apnoea and worth looking into further.
How Can Sleep Apnoea Affect Your Health?
Left unaddressed, sleep apnoea can influence your overall wellness. It’s associated with:
Cardiovascular strain
Changes in oxygen levels may contribute to high blood pressure or heart concerns.
Daytime fatigue
Poor sleep can make it hard to focus, dampen mood, and reduce energy.
Metabolic changes
It has been linked to a higher risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes.
Overall well-being
It may affect memory, concentration, and how you feel day to day.
Snoring and Sleep Apnoea
Often, the first clue something’s wrong is the sound of snoring—but the real concern is the silence that sometimes follows. Those quiet moments can signal paused breathing, which is a hallmark of sleep apnoea. Wondering if this might be you? It usually begins by paying attention to how you feel, both at night and during the day.
You might:
- Snore loudly enough to be heard through a door.
- Have been told by someone that you occasionally gasp, choke, or seem to stop breathing in your sleep.
- Wake up still feeling tired, even after what should have been enough rest.
- Feel an overwhelming need to nap during the day or struggle with low energy.
- Notice morning headaches or a dry mouth when you get up.
- Find it harder to concentrate or feel more forgetful than usual.
The good news? Finding out is straightforward!
While a sleep study is the most accurate way to know what’s happening, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Many people now do a simple test at home using a small monitor that tracks breathing and oxygen levels overnight. Information from your own wearable device can also offer helpful insights to bring to your consultation.
Factors That Can Increase Risk
Sleep apnoea can affect different people, but some factors may make it more likely:
- Those who have a naturally narrow airway or often experience nasal stuffiness.
- People who are overweight.
- Individuals with high blood pressure.
- Those who smoke or often drink alcohol.
- It’s also more common in men.
Could a Dental Sleep Appliance Work for You?
A custom-made oral device can be an excellent option, especially if you:
- Snore regularly and loudly.
- Have been diagnosed with mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnoea.
- Prefer a non-surgical approach or have trouble adjusting to CPAP therapy.
Why Choose a Personalised Oral Device?
Selecting a device made specifically for your mouth offers meaningful benefits:
- Comfortable fit: Designed from a 3D scan of your teeth, it’s made to fit only you.
- Effective relief: It significantly reduces snoring and helps maintain an open airway during sleep.
- Better rest: By supporting uninterrupted breathing, it helps improve sleep quality so you wake up refreshed.
- Discreet and travel-friendly: No cords, no noise, no bulky machines—just a small device that’s easy to take anywhere.
- Easy to use and clean: It requires very little maintenance and is comfortable for nightly wear.
- Peace and quiet: It works silently, so both you and your partner can sleep undisturbed.
- Extra protection: If you grind your teeth, the device also helps shield them from wear.
If any of this resonates with you, we invite you to reach out. We’re here to help you understand your options and support you in finding a solution that lets you wake up feeling your best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is snoring always a sign of sleep apnoea? When should I get checked?
No. Many people snore without having sleep apnoea. Get checked if your snoring often comes with pauses in breathing, gasping or choking, or if you feel tired after a full night’s sleep, are very sleepy during the day or wake with headaches. Sleep apnoea can affect blood pressure and heart health, so speak to your GP or dentist about a sleep assessment if these sound familiar.
Can children have sleep apnoea?
Yes. Children can have sleep apnoea too, often because of enlarged tonsils. If your child snores loudly and often or seems to stop breathing during sleep, see a paediatrician or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor first, who can assess whether treatment is needed. At check-ups, your dentist can keep an eye on your child’s teeth and bite development alongside the doctor’s advice; see Kids Dentistry.
How does a home sleep test work? Is it the same as a sleep study?
Our home sleep screening uses a small home screening device (TipTraQ) that you wear in your own bed for several nights to record your breathing and oxygen levels; your dentist then explains the results in plain language at a follow-up visit. A sleep study at a sleep centre records more detail and is the more accurate way to diagnose sleep apnoea. Home screening is a convenient first step, and if you need a formal diagnosis, your dentist will suggest seeing a doctor or arranging a sleep study.
CPAP, an oral appliance or surgery: which is right for me?
It depends on the type and severity of your sleep apnoea, assessed by your doctor and dentist. CPAP delivers air pressure through a mask to keep the airway open and is commonly used for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea. A custom mandibular advancement device suits frequent snorers, people with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea, and those who can’t get on with CPAP. Surgery is for specific structural problems. We provide custom oral devices; CPAP and surgery are arranged through a doctor.
Does an anti-snoring device have side effects? Will it change my bite?
It usually takes a little time to get used to. Over the long term, a mandibular advancement device can cause small changes to your bite, so your dentist reviews you regularly to check your bite and fine-tune the device. Because a custom device is made from a digital scan of your teeth, it spreads pressure more evenly and helps reduce the poor fit and jaw soreness that can come with generic boil-and-bite guards.
Can lifestyle changes help with snoring and sleep apnoea?
They can help. Losing weight, avoiding alcohol before bed, stopping smoking and sleeping on your side rather than your back can all reduce snoring and airway blockage, and a blocked nose is worth having checked by a doctor. Lifestyle changes alone may not be enough for moderate or more severe sleep apnoea, so if symptoms continue, have a sleep assessment before deciding on treatment such as an oral device.
How much does a sleep test or anti-snoring device cost?
The cost depends on how many nights of testing you need, your follow-up visits and making the device. The Prince Philip Dental Hospital (PPDH) private patient fee schedule cited on our fee reference page doesn’t list home sleep screening or mandibular advancement devices, so we can’t give a reference range here; please ask the clinic when booking. Reference ranges for other treatments (for reference only; not our clinic’s actual pricing, and your fee is confirmed after an examination) are on our fee reference.
Our Sleep Apnoea Dentist
Book a Sleep Apnoea Consultation
Snoring or worried about sleep apnoea? Your dentist will talk through your symptoms first, then discuss suitable options with you. Both clinics are in Discovery Bay — choose the one closest to you: