If you can’t wear your CPAP, you’re not alone.
Roughly half of people prescribed CPAP can’t or won’t wear it consistently. The mask, the noise, the partner waking up, the dry mouth, the travel burden — there are real reasons it doesn’t fit most lives. The airway problem still needs treating. Here’s what the alternatives actually look like.
The most common evidence-backed CPAP alternative. A custom-fitted dental appliance, worn at night, that advances the lower jaw to hold the airway open. Symmetry fits these directly — Dr. Deal is double-board-certified in dental sleep medicine.
Some sleep apnea is positional — significantly worse on the back. Devices that prevent back-sleeping (wedge pillows, vibratory trainers) can produce meaningful AHI reductions. Often combined with OAT, not used alone.
OSA correlates with body weight, alcohol use, and sleep position. For some patients weight loss substantially reduces symptoms. Not a quick fix, rarely the whole answer — but honestly on the table.
When the underlying anatomy created the airway problem, expanding the maxilla can change the airway's shape itself. The long game — months and years, not weeks — but the only option that addresses the cause.
An implanted device that stimulates the tongue forward during sleep. FDA-approved for moderate-to-severe OSA in CPAP-intolerant patients. We coordinate with the sleep-medicine specialists who implant them.
Soft-tissue surgeries (UPPP, tongue base reduction, maxillomandibular advancement) can resolve sleep apnea in carefully selected patients. We refer to the right surgical specialists when conservative measures aren't enough.
Start with the screener. If it flags as intermediate or high risk, book an evaluation. The visit looks at your specific airway anatomy, your sleep history, and what you’ve tried already. The plan that comes out of it is built for you — not the average patient.