TDSS VETERANS HANDOUT — V1.0

Quick Access

Full Color Limited Color

A handout from Texas Dental Sleep Services

Better Sleep for Veterans

If you served, and you're not sleeping well, please read this.

TDSS

Veteran-Owned Practice

Sleep apnea by the numbers

1 in 5

Veterans diagnosed with sleep apnea

30-50%

Stop using CPAP within the first year

2 to 4×

Risk of heart disease, stroke, depression

Self-check: do these sound familiar?

If three or more apply to you, this handout is for you.

✓Loud snoring or witnessed pauses in breathing
✓Gasping or choking awake during the night
✓Morning headaches and dry mouth
✓Daytime fatigue regardless of hours slept
✓Trouble concentrating, irritability, or low mood
✓Spouse or partner sleeping in another room

How sleep apnea affects your health

Untreated sleep apnea is closely linked to:

Hypertension & heart disease

Type 2 diabetes

Worsening PTSD & nightmares

Memory problems & brain fog

Weight gain & stalled weight loss

Depression & anxiety

Treating sleep apnea often improves the conditions you've been fighting separately for years.

Why CPAP doesn't work for everyone

×Mask claustrophobia, especially with PTSD
×Air pressure that feels suffocating
×Noise that wakes a spouse or partner
×Hard to use traveling, camping, or hunting
×Skin irritation, nasal congestion, dry mouth

If any of this sounds like you, you are not failing CPAP. CPAP is failing you.

What is Oral Appliance Therapy?

A custom-fit dental device worn only during sleep. It looks similar to a mouthguard or orthodontic retainer.

It gently holds the lower jaw slightly forward, keeping the airway open while you sleep. No collapse, no apnea events, no waking up exhausted.

Custom-made by a dentist trained in dental sleep medicine. This is a medical device, not an over-the-counter mouthguard.

What you don't need

✓No mask
✓No hose
✓No machine
✓No electricity
✓Travel-friendly case

How well does it work?

Recognized first-line treatment. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recognizes oral appliance therapy as a first-line therapy for mild and moderate sleep apnea, and an alternative for severe cases when CPAP is not tolerated.
Higher real-world adherence. Patients actually wear the device every night, on travel, on bad days, on good days.
Outcomes that matter. Less snoring. More energy. Better blood pressure. Sharper days. Improvements often seen within the first few weeks.

The 5-step process

1
Sleep study. Home or in-lab study confirms diagnosis.
2
Consultation. Visit a TDSS VA-credentialed dentist.
3
Custom fit. Digital scan, custom appliance fabricated.
4
Delivery. Fitting and titration over a few visits.
5
Confirmation. Follow-up sleep test confirms results.

Typical timeline: 8 to 12 weeks from consult to confirmed results.

YOUR VA BENEFITS

VA Coverage of Oral Appliance Therapy

✓The VA recognizes OAT as a covered alternative to CPAP for eligible veterans.
✓Most veterans with a sleep apnea diagnosis can access OAT at no out-of-pocket cost.
✓TDSS providers are credentialed with the VA Community Care Network.
✓Your VA primary care provider can submit a Community Care referral.

Covered. No cost in most cases. TDSS handles the paperwork.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Better sleep starts today.

Call

Online

No obligation. We'll mail you a free information packet or schedule a call at your convenience.

Scan with your phone