Rest easy.
Breathe freely.
Custom oral appliance therapy for snoring and sleep apnea with Dr. Paige Lester. A quiet, comfortable, mask-free option for many patients, working hand in hand with your physician.
- No mask, no hose, no noise
- Sleep test from home
- Insurance assistance
- AADSM memberAmerican Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine
- NYU College of DentistryDDS, plus BS & MS, University of Alabama
- Home sleep testingThrough our Rest Assured service
- Caring since 2002A division of Healthy Smiles of Birmingham
Better sleep begins with the right answer.
Whether it is your snoring, your CPAP or a nagging feeling that something is wrong, we will help you find your way.
Millions of people are tired, and don’t know why.
Obstructive sleep apnea quietly interrupts your breathing all night. It has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and drowsy driving, yet most people who have it have never been diagnosed.
U.S. adults are estimated to have obstructive sleep apnea.
of cases are estimated to go undiagnosed and untreated.
higher risk of motor vehicle crashes for drivers with sleep apnea.
1. Frost & Sullivan for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Hidden Health Crisis Costing America Billions, 2016.
2. Tregear S, Reston J, Schoelles K, Phillips B. Obstructive sleep apnea and risk of motor vehicle crash: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Sleep Med. 2009;5(6):573–581.
A small appliance that holds your airway open.
During sleep, your tongue and throat tissues relax and fall back, narrowing or blocking your airway. A custom oral appliance gently prevents that collapse.
- Custom-made for your bite. Slim trays are crafted from precise impressions of your teeth.
- Your jaw rests slightly forward. Just a few millimeters, in a position Dr. Lester can fine-tune.
- Your tongue moves forward too, keeping it away from the back of your throat.
- Air flows freely all night. Snoring quiets and breathing pauses are reduced or prevented.
Illustration: side view of the throat during sleep. Tap to compare.
Quiet, simple, made for you.
For many adults with snoring or mild to moderate sleep apnea, and for some patients who have trouble with CPAP, an oral appliance is a comfortable, effective way to treat sleep apnea every night.
- Silent. Nothing to plug in, nothing to hum or hiss
- Nothing on your face, no straps, no hoses
- Fits in a pocket-sized case for travel
- Rinse and brush in the morning. That is it
- Supported by AASM and AADSM clinical guidelines
Two proven treatments, one goal.
Oral appliances and CPAP both treat obstructive sleep apnea. The right choice depends on how severe your sleep apnea is, your anatomy and your health, and some patients use both.
Often a good fit for
- Snoring without sleep apnea
- Mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea
- Some patients who cannot tolerate CPAP, when appropriate for their diagnosis
- Frequent travelers who want a portable option
- Patients with enough healthy teeth to hold an appliance
CPAP is usually best for
- Severe obstructive sleep apnea
- Patients whose sleep apnea is not controlled well enough by an appliance
- Certain medical conditions, as directed by your physician
- Patients without enough healthy teeth for an appliance
- Some patients alongside an oral appliance (combination therapy)
CPAP is the standard treatment for sleep apnea and remains the best choice for many patients, especially those with severe sleep apnea. Dr. Lester works alongside your physician, and if an appliance is not right for you, she will tell you.
Four simple steps to quieter nights.
Consultation
Dr. Lester reviews your symptoms and health history and examines your jaw, bite and airway.
Sleep test
Confirm sleep apnea and its severity. Your choice:
At home with Rest AssuredIn person at a preferred sleep testing centerResults & plan
Your results are sent to Dr. Lester, who walks you through them and recommends the right treatment.
Fit & fine-tune
Your custom appliance is fitted, then adjusted at follow-up visits for comfort and results.
Dental sleep medicineMember, AADSMDr. Paige Lester
What she loves most about dentistry is the feeling of truly helping a patient in need of care.
An Alabama native from Jasper, Dr. Lester earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology at the University of Alabama and her dental degree from New York University College of Dentistry. Through Sleep Better Alabama, the dental sleep division of Healthy Smiles of Birmingham, she helps patients who snore or struggle with sleep apnea, including many who could not tolerate CPAP.
- American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine
- American Sleep and Breathing Academy
- American Dental Association · Alabama Dental Association
Treatment that fits your life and budget.
We help with the paperwork
Sleep apnea is a medical condition, so oral appliance therapy is often billed to medical insurance rather than dental. Our team will help verify your benefits before you begin.
Monthly payment options
Spread the cost of treatment into manageable monthly payments with third-party financing through Cherry, CareCredit or Sunbit.
Test in your own bed
Skip the overnight lab stay. Our Rest Assured home sleep testing service lets you complete your sleep test at home.
Serving Birmingham and the Highway 280 corridor.
Sleep Better Alabama is located inside Healthy Smiles of Birmingham at 100 Heatherbrooke Park Drive.
Patients visit us from across the Birmingham metro area, including Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Inverness, Greystone, Chelsea, Pelham, Helena and Alabaster. With at-home sleep testing, many patients need fewer trips and less time away from work and family.
Answers, before you ask.
Still wondering if a dentist can really treat sleep apnea? You are not alone.
See all frequently asked questionsCan a dentist really treat sleep apnea?
Yes. Dentists trained in dental sleep medicine provide oral appliance therapy, a recognized treatment for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine support oral appliance therapy for snoring, and for adults with sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP or prefer a different therapy, when appropriate for their diagnosis.
Do I need a sleep test first?
Yes. Sleep apnea must be confirmed by a sleep test before treatment. You can test at home through our Rest Assured home sleep testing service, or we can schedule an in-person overnight study at one of our preferred sleep testing centers. Results are sent to Dr. Lester for review.
Is an oral appliance covered by insurance?
Because sleep apnea is a medical condition, oral appliance therapy is often billed to medical insurance rather than dental insurance. Coverage varies by plan, so our team will help you check your benefits before treatment begins. Monthly financing is also available through Cherry, CareCredit and Sunbit.
Is it comfortable to wear?
Most patients adjust within a few nights to a couple of weeks. Some notice mild jaw or tooth soreness at first, which usually fades. Dr. Lester fine-tunes the fit at follow-up visits.