At Koala Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders, we have teamed up with physicians and other specialists, cooperating in an important relationship to identify and manage Sleep Disordered Breathing. Patients interested in oral appliance therapy can use the following steps in pursuing treatment: 1. Screening for Sleep Apnea - If a patient has not been previously diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea the dentist will screen for sleep apnea using simple questionnaires, health histories, weight, body mass index (BMI) calculations, and neck circumference measurements as well as oral and airway evaluations. 2. Home Sleep Test or Overnight Lab Sleep Test - If a patient shows the markers for OSA, the patient will need to obtain a sleep study. Depending on the patient's health history, the dentist will either offer an at-home sleep test (HST) or an overnight-attended test called polysomnography (PSG). These tests are read by a board certified Sleep Physician who will determine a diagnosis. It is important to know if the patient is considered mild, moderate or severe in order to be able to recommend the proper treatment therapy. 3. Fitting the Oral Appliance - If the patient is then a candidate for OAT, the Dentist will take a custom impression and bite in order to have an FDA approved lab fabricate the oral appliance. 4. Follow Up Care - Progress is monitored carefully as each patient has a different airway and requires specific titration, which means the appliance is slightly modified according to the patient's specific bone and teeth structure. When a patient feels that their snoring has stopped and their symptoms have been relieved, a follow up sleep study will be performed with the oral appliance in place. Once maximum medical efficacy is reached, the dentist will see the patient again in six months, and then yearly after that. This gives the dentist the ability to ensure continued treatment success and make modifications to the treatment regimen as needed.