Your journey to better sleep
Your Results Are on the Way
Here’s what to expect — and how to prepare
You’ve already taken an important step by completing your home sleep test. While your results are being reviewed, take a few minutes to learn about your therapy options, what treatment looks like, and how it’s more affordable than you might think.
Your Next Steps
Your home sleep test results will be ready soon! Here’s what comes next:
Meet with Your Sleep Doctor
SleepArchitects will reach out to you shortly to schedule a telemedicine visit. A board-certified sleep doctor will review your results and answer any questions about your diagnosis.
Learn About Your Therapy Options
If you are diagnosed positive for obstructive sleep apnea, it’s important to get treatment. Keep reading to learn about proven options that can help you sleep better and protect your health.
Why Now?
Sleep apnea is a progressive disease, which means if left untreated, it gets worse.
When a person with sleep apnea stops breathing, the body’s oxygen level drops. The body reacts by producing epinephrine (also called adrenaline), a stress hormone. Over time, high adrenaline levels can contribute to high blood pressure.
Repeated surges in blood pressure can damage the lining of blood vessels, and sleep disturbances can raise levels of harmful LDL cholesterol. These changes may lead to clogged arteries and poor heart muscle function.
People with untreated sleep apnea are twice as likely to have a heart attack compared with those who don’t have the disorder.
Source: Harvard Health — How does sleep apnea affect the heart?
Untreated sleep apnea is associated with:
“It’s important because the consequences are real… true risk increases over time.”
Dr. Jonathan Jun, Johns Hopkins
You’ve Got Options
The sleep doctor may recommend one or both of these standard treatment options, depending on the results of your home sleep test:
Continuous Positive
Airway Pressure (CPAP)
A bedside machine that blows pressurized air into your airway through a hose connected to a mask worn over the nose or mouth. This air pressure acts as a splint, holding your airway open.
Open Airway Therapy
Provided by Dentist
Dentist-provided treatment that uses a medical oral device worn in the mouth to gently position your jaw and tongue and keep your airway open while asleep.
A Modern Option
A popular innovation is Open Airway Therapy that uses a custom-fit oral device, designed to work with your lifestyle. The device is adjusted to gently open your airway so you can breathe freely and protect your brain, heart, energy, longevity, and daily performance — every single night.
This isn’t an over-the-counter mouthguard.
Open Airway Therapy is a comprehensive treatment including:
- An FDA-cleared, precision engineered Class II Medical device customized to each person’s dentition
- Comprehensive exam, imaging, medical diagnosis review
- Precision titration (micro-adjustments over time)
- Follow-up sleep testing to ensure efficacy
- Medical management to avoid development of side effects
- Long-term monitoring of symptoms
Does It Work?
Compliance & Outcomes
Randomized clinical trials show similar improvements in health outcomes between CPAP and Oral Appliance treatments including sleepiness, quality of life, driving performance, and blood pressure.
- Traditional therapy
- Front line for Severe OSA
- 0% success rate in reducing AHI (apnea-hypopnea index)
- Adherence to therapy considered to be low, reported at 30–60%
- More modern option
- Front line for mild and moderate OSA and for severe OSA if CPAP is not desired or tolerated
- 0% reported compliance of nightly wear
- Treatment was successful for 0% of OSA patients and 89% subjectively considered themselves cured
Clinical guidelines and standards of care recognize both of these therapies.
The Nitty Gritty
A side-by-side look at therapy cost
Both CPAP and Open Airway Therapy are life-saving therapies that fall in the Major Medical category.
CPAP Therapy
Estimated Cost of 5 Years of Therapy
$2,835–$13,590
Amount reimbursed by medical insurance varies widely and often depends on compliance levels. Deductibles typically have to be met first.
Source: sleepfoundation.org
Open Airway Therapy
Comprehensive treatment plan by a dental professional:
- Comprehensive exam, measurements, scans
- Adjustment and follow-up visits (first 3 months)
- Long-term clinical symptom monitoring (over 24 months)
- Custom-fit Class II medical grade oral sleep appliance
- Morning aligner
Estimated Cost of 5 Years of Therapy
$4,500–$7,500 one-time purchase
Oral sleep appliance typically lasts ~5 years. Payment plans & patient financing typically accepted.
You’re in good hands — SleepArchitects network dentists have decades of oral appliance experience
An Investment in Your Health
Both CPAP and Open Airway Therapy are life-saving therapies that fall in the Major Medical category.
While the cost of both of these therapies range $4,000–$7,000 for 5 years of therapy, they may also help you avoid medical expenses down the road.
Adults with untreated moderate-severe OSA are estimated to incur $3,200–4,000 more in healthcare costs per year.
Broken down over 5 years:
$6,000 ÷ 60 months = $100 per month
That’s about $3 per day to protect your heart and brain.
Treatment isn’t cosmetic or optional.
It’s preventative medicine.
You’re investing in health:
Insurance Factors
The medical insurance plan you have chosen will determine what, if anything, is reimbursed for sleep apnea treatment.
As sleep apnea is a major medical category, open airway therapy falls under medical insurance (not dental insurance).
CPAP can often be paid for with medical insurance but reimbursement may depend on compliance metrics and is subject to deductibles. Accessories are often paid out of pocket.
Since your dentist is out-of-network with medical plans, if you have a PPO medical plan with out-of-network benefits, your plan may reimburse for some portion of the therapy.
If you choose open airway therapy we may be able to file a claim on your behalf to medical (not dental) insurance — however, reimbursement amounts, if any, will not be known prior to treatment and no amounts are guaranteed.
Patient financing and FSAs/HSAs are commonly used in paying for open airway therapy.
Patient Perspectives
Real stories from people who chose treatment
“I have not gone a single night without since I received the appliance. It has definitely changed the way I feel in the mornings. I would say that it has been a life changer for me. I can sleep in the same room with my wife and not have to worry about disrupting her sleep.”
— WW, Oregon
“So much better using the oral appliance. It’s easy to use. I don’t have to take it off to use the restroom like CPAP. Easy to pack and take on vacation. For me, it’s the best thing ever!”
— Karla, Ohio
“This oral appliance has been a life changer. I’m sleeping amazing and I could not be happier. I’m getting quality sleep and not waking up at all anymore in the middle of the night.”
— DF, Massachusetts
“The whole [oral appliance] process went very smooth, it was also very educational. I do believe that it’s made a very positive improvement on the quality of sleep that I am now able to receive.”
— TK, Texas
“I absolutely love the appliance. My jaw is better and it has gotten rid of my pain. Overall, I’m a happier, healthier person. I am so glad you are helping me.”
— Julian, New York
“I struggled with severe daytime fatigue. After wearing the appliance it was the first day in eight years where I did not need a nap. I woke up feeling “wired”— and I’m genuinely excited and hopeful.”
— JT, Massachusetts
Have Questions?
We're here to help you understand your options and feel confident about your next steps.