Advanced Airway & Sleep Apnea Treatments in Vancouver

Move Beyond the CPAP Machine$99 Consult

While Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines are traditionally recommended for severe sleep apnea, many patients find them bulky, uncomfortable, noisy, and difficult to travel with.

At New Image Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, we specialize in dental sleep medicine solutions that address the structural issues behind airway collapse. Our modern, customized treatment options are quiet, compact, and completely lifestyle-friendly.

Our Core Airway & Sleep Therapies

  1. Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs)

For mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, custom oral appliances offer a highly successful alternative to CPAP. These compact, removable devices are worn only while you sleep.

  • How it works: A MAD gently moves your lower jaw and tongue slightly forward. This subtle repositioning tightens the soft tissues at the back of your throat, preventing them from collapsing and keeping your airway naturally open all night long.
  • The Benefit: They are comfortable, easy to clean, ideal for travel, and require no electricity or masks.
  1. Solea® Sleep Laser Therapy (Snoring Elimination)

If chronic snoring is disrupting your household but you don’t have severe sleep apnea, Solea Sleep is a revolutionary breakthrough.

  • How it works: This is a quick, 5-minute, completely non-surgical laser treatment performed right in our office. The ultra-low laser energy gently tightens and stiffens the loose collagen fibers in your soft palate (the roof of your mouth).
  • The Benefit: By tightening this tissue, the laser eliminates the laxity that causes rapid vibrations—instantly reducing or completely stopping the sound of snoring. It requires no downtime, no incisions, and no post-treatment pain, providing rapid relief that lasts for 12 to 15 months.
  1. CandidPro Orthodontic Airway Therapy

Instead of just managing your symptoms, we can permanently optimize the physical structure of your mouth to promote healthy breathing.

  • How it works: Utilizing specialized, airway-focused CandidPro clear aligners, we gently expand and upright your dental arches. A narrow upper jaw traps the tongue and pushes it backward into the throat.
  • The Benefit: By safely widening the arch form, CandidPro creates valuable physical real estate for your tongue to rest naturally against the roof of your mouth. This permanently opens up the airway dimensions, improves nasal breathing, reduces mouth-breathing cycles, and effectively complements sleep apnea therapy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What are the signs that I might have sleep apnea?

A: The most prominent indicators are loud, chronic snoring and feeling completely exhausted during the day, even after an entire night of rest. You might also experience gasping episodes at night, regular morning headaches, dry mouth, or irritability.

Q: Can a dentist actually treat sleep apnea?

A: Yes! Dentists who specialize in dental sleep medicine are uniquely qualified to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Because the condition is caused by structural blockages in the mouth and throat, we can design custom oral appliances (MADs), utilize laser tissue tightening, or use airway-focused orthodontics to physically keep your breathing passage open.

Q: Is snoring always a sign of sleep apnea?

A: Not always, but it is one of the most common warnings. ‘Simple snoring’ happens when tissues vibrate without completely blocking air flow, which we can treat beautifully with Solea Sleep. However, if your snoring is punctuated by gasps, snorts, or long pauses, it is highly likely a sign of sleep apnea and requires a clinical evaluation.

Q: What is the difference between a sleep apnea screening and a sleep test?

A: A screening is a preliminary assessment we perform in our office using visual airway exams, history reviews, and risk questionnaires to see if you show indicators of the disorder. A sleep test (or study) is the formal diagnostic step where a medical sleep specialist tracks your actual oxygen levels and sleep metrics overnight to provide an official diagnosis.

Q: Are custom oral appliances better than a CPAP machine?

A: ‘Better’ depends entirely on your specific case and lifestyle. While CPAP remains a standard choice for severe sleep apnea, oral appliances are often preferred by patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea due to compliance. Patients love oral appliances because they don’t involve noisy air pumps, claustrophobic face masks, or hoses, making them significantly more comfortable and practical.

Q: Can children suffer from sleep apnea?

A: Absolutely. Pediatric sleep apnea is common and most frequently stems from physical obstructions like enlarged tonsils or narrow, underdeveloped jaw arches. Instead of daytime sleepiness, children with sleep apnea often manifest symptoms like mouth-breathing, bedwetting, night terrors, or behavioral issues that mimic ADHD.