Sleep Apnoea & Snoring Box Hill

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Sleep Apnoea and Snoring in Box Hill

Many people who have it don’t know. We can help you get to a proper answer.

You might be here because your partner has stopped joking about the snoring. Or because you’re exhausted every single day and nobody can tell you why. Or because someone once handed you a CPAP machine, you couldn’t sleep with it, and you gave up quietly and never went back.

All three are worth taking seriously, and none of them are your fault. At Facial Harmony Skin & Dental in Box Hill, we don’t diagnose sleep apnoea – that isn’t a dentist’s job. What we do is help you get to a proper answer, through a sleep study and the right referral, and then treat the part that’s genuinely ours to treat.

Not sure if this is even you? Call and ask. Most people are unsure. That’s normal.


Facial Harmony clinic, Box Hill
$100
Sleep and airway assessment, credited if you go ahead		2–3 Days
Physician-reviewed screening report		Home test
Sleep in your own bed

Man snoring in bed, a common reason people first look into sleep apnoea, Box Hill

Facial Harmony is a certified member clinic of the Slow Dentistry Global Network.

Dr NaMoo Park is the principal dentist and is registered with the Dental Board of Australia.

“Many people with sleep apnoea have no idea they have it. Their dentist is often the first person in a position to notice.” – Dr NaMoo Park

Sometimes We See It Before You Feel It

Here’s something most people don’t know. Sleep apnoea can leave marks on your teeth.

Many people with disrupted breathing during sleep also clench or grind. Over the years, that can show up as worn, flattened, chipped or cracked teeth, often with jaw tension or morning headaches alongside it.

You can’t see that damage. We can. It’s one of the things we look for in every examination.

To be clear about what that means: worn teeth don’t prove you have sleep apnoea, and plenty of people grind for other reasons. But it’s a signal worth following up, and if we see it, we’ll tell you rather than quietly restoring the damage and never mentioning the possible cause. That’s the difference between fixing a tooth and asking why it broke.

Getting Tested, Made Simpler

Many people who suspect sleep apnoea never get tested – not because they don’t care, but because the usual path takes time: a GP visit, a referral, a wait for the specialist, a sleep study, then a wait for results. It’s understandable that people put it off.

We can help make the screening step simpler. We keep a home sleep screening device at the clinic and can lend it to you, so you sleep one night in your own bed rather than in a lab. A sleep physician then reviews your data and writes the report – because interpreting the results and diagnosing sleep apnoea is a medical role, not a dental one.

If the report points to sleep apnoea, we can talk about the part that’s ours to treat, and make sure you’re connected with the right medical care for the rest.

$100 for a Physician-Reviewed Home Sleep Screening

We pass these costs straight through to you: $50 to set you up on the device, and $50 for the sleep physician’s report – nothing added on our side. Your report is usually back within 2–3 business days.

The device is lent to you at no charge. You sign a simple agreement covering it if it’s lost or damaged; there’s no deposit to pay upfront.

What this test is, honestly: it’s a screening test, not a full sleep study. It measures your breathing and oxygen levels overnight and produces a physician-reviewed report, designed to tell you whether there’s a problem worth pursuing rather than an app score.

If the result points to something more serious, or the picture isn’t clear, you’ll need a formal sleep study through a sleep physician – and we’ll tell you that plainly rather than fitting you a device to keep you here.

Not sure whether you need it? That’s what the consultation is for.

Why This Is Worth Knowing About

We’re not going to frighten you into a mouthguard, but you should know why sleep apnoea is taken seriously, because most people assume it’s just snoring, and that assumption is the reason it goes unaddressed for decades.

When breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, oxygen levels drop and the body is pulled out of deep sleep, over and over, all night long. Sustained across years, untreated moderate to severe sleep apnoea is associated with high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and there’s also a well-established link with daytime sleepiness and road accidents, which matters a great deal if you drive for a living.

None of that is cause for panic. Plenty of people have mild sleep apnoea and manage it without difficulty, and plenty of people who snore don’t have it at all. It’s a reason to find out which one you are: that’s a $100 test and one night’s sleep in your own bed.

If the Answer Is Yes: The Appliance

For snoring, and for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea, a custom-made oral appliance is a well-established treatment. It’s worn at night and gently holds your lower jaw forward, which helps keep the airway open. No mask, no hose, no power point; it fits in a case and travels in your carry-on.

An oral appliance is generally considered for:

  • Mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea, following diagnosis by a sleep physician
  • Snoring, where other causes have been excluded or addressed
  • People who find CPAP difficult to tolerate, as an alternative or complementary option, discussed with their sleep physician

Effectiveness varies from person to person. We review it at your follow-up visits, and if it isn’t working for you, we say so and look at what else might.

How it works with us: we take digital scans of your teeth and jaws, the appliance is custom-made for your mouth, it’s adjustable so we can advance it gradually at a pace you can tolerate, and we review the fit, your comfort, and whether it’s actually working.

We’re not locked into one device. We work with several appliance systems, so we can choose the one that suits your mouth and your bite.

Diagram showing how an oral appliance repositions the jaw to keep the airway open during sleep, Facial Harmony Box Hill

Your Path, Step by Step

1Consultation & Assessment
We talk through your symptoms and examine your teeth, jaw and airway.		2Home Sleep Screening
If it makes sense for you, an optional overnight test with a physician-reviewed report in 2–3 business days.		3Your Results, Explained
We talk through what the report means, and whether an oral appliance is the right next step.		4Appliance, Made & Reviewed
Digital scans, a custom fit, gradual adjustment, and ongoing review.

If CPAP Didn’t Work for You

You are not a failure; the machine didn’t suit you. This is one of the most common reasons people come to us. CPAP is highly effective when people can use it, but a great many people can’t: they try, they can’t tolerate the mask, they stop, and then they feel too embarrassed to raise it again with anyone.

If that’s you, an oral appliance may be an option, particularly for mild to moderate OSA. It’s a decision to make together with your sleep physician rather than around them, but it’s absolutely a conversation worth having, and it’s one you’re allowed to reopen. If you gave up on CPAP years ago, that’s not the end of the road; come and talk about it.

If the Answer Is Something Else Entirely

Not everything that sounds like sleep apnoea is sleep apnoea, and not everything we find is ours to treat.

  • Severe OSA is generally best managed by a sleep physician, often with CPAP. We’ll say so.
  • Structural airway problems (a deviated septum, enlarged tonsils, nasal obstruction) sit with an ENT surgeon. We refer regularly to ENT specialists including sleep surgeons, and we’ll explain why if that’s where you need to go.
  • Children need a different pathway entirely, and we assess and refer accordingly.

We’d rather send you to the right person than keep you here.

How We Help with Sleep Apnoea and Snoring

 

We see it before you feel it. Worn or cracked teeth can show up before symptoms do, and we check for it in every exam.

 

$100, passed straight through. Home sleep screening priced at what we’re charged, with nothing added on our side.

 

A real option after CPAP. If a machine didn’t suit you, that’s not the end of the road.

 

Health cover, checked on the day. We can check your cover on HICAPS at your consultation, so you know where you stand before deciding anything – some funds may contribute, depending on your policy.

Our Approach: Slow Dentistry

Sleep and airway concerns get the same conservative-first treatment as everything else here: an honest screening before a device, and a device before anything more involved. That’s why we price the screening at what we’re charged, pass it straight through, and won’t recommend an appliance until there’s a clear reason to – and we’ll tell you when a device isn’t the answer.

Dr NaMoo Park, principal dentist at Facial Harmony

Meet Dr NaMoo Park

Oral appliance therapy at Facial Harmony is overseen by Dr NaMoo Park, co-owner and principal dentist, registered with the Dental Board of Australia. Facial Harmony is a certified member clinic of the Slow Dentistry Global Network. He considers the jaw, bite, teeth and airway as parts of the same system, which matters a great deal here: how your jaw sits affects how you breathe at night, and how you breathe at night shows up on your teeth.

What Happens at Your Consultation

We talk through your symptoms, your sleep, and how you actually feel during the day, examine your teeth, jaw and bite for signs of wear, clenching or grinding, and discuss whether a home screening test makes sense for you. We can check your cover on HICAPS at the consultation, so you have a clearer idea of any out-of-pocket cost — some funds contribute, depending on your policy. You leave with a clear plan and a clear estimate.

If you go on to have an appliance made with us, we credit the $100 consultation fee against it. Terms: applies to appliances made at Facial Harmony within 6 months of the consultation, one credit per guest, not redeemable for cash.

You don’t need to have decided anything. A consultation is a conversation about whether this is even the right path for you.

More About Sleep Apnoea Treatment


How the home screening test works

We keep a screening device at the clinic and lend it to you. You wear it for one night in your own bed: a wristband and a finger sensor, no wires, no lab, no waiting room.

You return it to us, and a sleep physician reviews your overnight data and produces a report, usually within 2–3 business days. The cost is $100 in total: $50 to register you on the device and $50 for the physician’s report. We pass both straight through, with nothing added on our side.

There’s no deposit. You sign a short agreement covering the device if it’s lost or damaged.

What it is and isn’t: this is a home screening test (a level 4 study), not a full in-laboratory sleep study. It’s a genuine, physician-reviewed result, but if it suggests something more serious, or the picture is unclear, a formal sleep study through a sleep physician is the right next step, and we’ll tell you so.


Why we don't mark up the test

Because we make oral appliances. If we profited from the test and the device it justifies, we’d have a quiet financial interest in you needing one. We’d rather remove that incentive than ask you to trust us despite it.

You pay what we’re charged, passed straight through. If the test says you’re fine, that’s the right outcome, and there’s nothing further to pay us.


Types of oral appliance

We work with several appliance systems rather than a single brand, so the device can be matched to your bite, your jaw and how much adjustment you need.

These include the Hushd Pro range (Good Sleep Co) and Smartee appliances, among others.

The right one depends on your teeth, your bite, the severity of your condition and what you can realistically tolerate wearing every night. We’ll talk through the specific options at your consultation rather than deciding for you.


Cost of an oral appliance

Cost depends on the appliance and your individual case. We’ll provide a clear estimate after your consultation, before anything is made.

If you proceed with an appliance at Facial Harmony, your $100 consultation fee is credited against it (within 6 months, one credit per guest, not redeemable for cash).

We can check your private health cover on HICAPS at your consultation, so you have a clearer idea of any out-of-pocket cost before you decide anything — some funds contribute, depending on your policy.

Living with an appliance

There’s an adjustment period. Most people take a couple of weeks; some take longer. Early on you may notice increased saliva, jaw stiffness in the morning, or tenderness in the teeth; these usually settle.

We advance the appliance gradually rather than all at once, and we review the fit and how you’re going. Ongoing review matters: an appliance that’s stopped fitting properly has stopped working properly.


Do I still need my sleep physician?

Yes. If you have diagnosed OSA, your sleep physician remains part of your care, particularly in confirming the appliance is actually working. We work alongside them rather than replacing them.

Sleep Apnoea and Snoring in Box Hill: Frequently Asked Questions


Can you diagnose sleep apnoea?

No, that’s a medical diagnosis, not a dental one. What we can do is screen for it, get you a physician-reviewed report quickly and cheaply, and treat the part that’s ours to treat.

How much does the first appointment cost?

$100. It’s a focused sleep and airway assessment, not a general check-up. If you go on to have an appliance made with us, we credit that $100 against it.

How much does the home sleep test cost?

$100 in total: $50 to set you up on the device and $50 for the sleep physician’s report. We pass both straight through with nothing added. The report is usually back within 2–3 business days.

Is the home test the same as a sleep study?

No, and we won’t pretend otherwise. It’s a screening test with a physician-reviewed report. It’s a real answer, but if it points to something more serious, a formal sleep study through a sleep physician is the right next step.

I snore, but I don't think I have sleep apnoea. Can you still help?

Often, yes. An oral appliance can help with snoring. But it’s worth screening first; snoring is the most common symptom of sleep apnoea, and a lot of people who assume it’s just snoring find out otherwise.

I couldn't cope with CPAP. Is that it for me?

No. CPAP intolerance is one of the most common reasons people come to see us. An oral appliance may be an option, particularly for mild to moderate OSA, worth discussing with us and your sleep physician.

Does an oral appliance work as well as CPAP?

It depends on the severity and the person. CPAP is generally more effective for moderate to severe OSA. An appliance may suit mild to moderate cases, or people who can’t tolerate CPAP. Effectiveness varies, and we’ll review whether yours is actually working.

Will my private health insurance cover this?

Possibly; it depends on your policy and level of cover. You don’t need to find out yourself. We check it through HICAPS at your consultation and tell you exactly what’s covered and what you’d actually pay, before you commit to anything.

Will an appliance move my teeth?

It can cause small changes to your bite over time. This is a known consideration with all mandibular advancement appliances, and it’s one of the things we monitor at review appointments. We’ll explain what to watch for before you commit.

How did my dentist notice this before my doctor?

Because the damage often shows on your teeth. Worn, flattened or cracked teeth from clenching and grinding are visible in a dental examination, and they’re one of the signals that a sleep or airway problem may be worth investigating.

What if it turns out to be something else?

Then we tell you, and we point you at the right person. Structural airway problems go to an ENT specialist. Severe OSA goes to a sleep physician. We’d rather refer you than keep you.

Is sleep apnoea actually dangerous, or just annoying?

It depends on severity. Mild cases are often managed easily. But untreated moderate to severe sleep apnoea is associated with high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and with daytime sleepiness that increases accident risk. That’s not a reason to panic; it’s a reason to find out where you sit, which a screening test can tell you.

I drive for work. Does that change anything?

It’s worth taking seriously. Untreated sleep apnoea is linked to daytime sleepiness and an increased risk of road accidents, and some occupational licensing has requirements around it. If you drive professionally, getting a clear answer is worth doing sooner rather than later.

My partner is the one with the problem, and they won't do anything about it.

You’re not alone; partners are usually the reason people finally get tested. Send them this page, or call us yourself and we’ll talk you through how to start the conversation.

If You’ve Been Tired for Years, Start Here

Not with a machine or a device, just with an answer. We’ll look, tell you what we see, and if it turns out you don’t have sleep apnoea, you’ll have ruled out the most common cause of exhausted mornings, which is worth knowing too.

Your consultation: $100, credited against your appliance if you go ahead. Home sleep screening $100, at cost, nothing added, report in 2–3 business days.

If it’s your partner who needs to read this, send it to them. That’s usually how this starts.

 

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