The sleep path
Oral appliance, CPAP or surgery: who decides
Your physician makes the diagnosis and helps you choose. This is where a dentist fits in, and where one doesn't.
| Who does what | Oral appliance | CPAP | Surgery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who diagnoses sleep apnea | Oral applianceA physician, from a sleep test. Not a dentist. | CPAPA physician, from a sleep test. | SurgeryA physician, from a sleep test. |
| Who decides which option fits | Oral applianceYour physician recommends it for your diagnosis, and you choose together. | CPAPYour physician prescribes it, and a supplier sets it up with you. | SurgeryA surgeon and your physician, once you have weighed the other options. |
| Who makes or performs it | Oral applianceA dentist makes the appliance from impressions or a scan and fits it. | CPAPA medical equipment supplier provides the machine and mask. | SurgeryA surgeon, in a hospital or surgery center. |
| Who follows up | Oral applianceThe dentist checks fit, teeth and bite. Your physician reads your sleep test. | CPAPYour physician and the supplier, using the machine's own records. | SurgeryThe surgeon and your physician. |
| Device status | Oral applianceFDA-clearedCustom appliances are cleared by the FDA as devices for snoring and sleep apnea. | CPAPFDA-clearedCPAP machines are cleared by the FDA as devices for sleep apnea. | SurgeryNot a device. Surgery has its own consent and risks. |
| What it asks of you | Oral applianceWearing it each night, and regular dental visits to check your bite. | CPAPWearing a mask and hose each night, and cleaning the equipment. | SurgeryTime to recover, and follow-up sleep testing. |
| What can go wrong | Oral applianceJaw soreness, extra saliva or a dry mouth, and a bite that can shift over time. | CPAPA dry nose, mask leaks and pressure that some people find hard to tolerate. | SurgerySurgical risks, which the surgeon goes through with you before you decide. |
If you snore
Start with your physician
Snoring can be harmless, and it can be a sign of sleep apnea. Only a physician can tell which.
If you haven't been evaluated, we ask you to see your physician first. If you have, and your physician recommends an oral appliance, we take it from there. We never ask you to stop or change a treatment someone else prescribed.
Who does what
Your physician diagnoses, usually from a sleep test
Your physician recommends the option
We make and fit the appliance if that is the option
Your physician checks how your sleep has changed
For physicians
Refer a patient
Send the diagnosis and your recommendation through our secure referral form. Zaria confirms receipt, and sends you a note after each visit.
What we don't do
Diagnose sleep apnea
That is a physician's, from a sleep test.
Change your treatment
We never tell you to stop or switch a CPAP or any other treatment.
Promise a result
An appliance fits some people and not others. Your sleep test says how it is going.
Questions about the sleep path
Is an oral appliance as good as CPAP?
That depends on your diagnosis and on you. Your physician is the one to compare them for you.
Do you need my sleep test?
Yes, or at least your physician's diagnosis and recommendation. We ask for them before we make anything.
Can a dentist see me if I'm only snoring?
We can check your teeth and bite. For the snoring itself we send you to your physician first.
Ask about the sleep path
Send a request and Zaria will call or text you back. Please leave out health details; for anything urgent, call us.