It’s easy to make jokes about snoring, but chronic snoring is no laughing matter. Obstructive sleep apnea, which causes snoring, is a condition in which your airway becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep. If untreated, obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and other serious conditions. The good news is that in many cases, a simple oral appliance can help.

GT Smiles has partnered with EMA – a pioneer in oral appliance therapy with over 30 years of experience providing comfortable, adjustable oral appliances – to produce a plant-based version of EMA devices using GT FLEX ® GREEN.

What Is an Oral Appliance for Sleep Apnea

An oral appliance (the shortened term often used to mean “oral appliance for sleep apnea“) is a custom device worn over your teeth during sleep.

The most common type of oral appliance works by gently repositioning the lower jaw to help keep the airway open. By moving the lower jaw forward, an oral appliance can help keep the tongue and soft tissues from collapsing into and blocking your airway.

Signs You May Benefit from an Oral Appliance

If you notice any of the following, you may benefit from evaluation for sleep apnea, which may result in a prescription for an oral appliance:

• Loud or chronic snoring
• Pauses in breathing during sleep (often noticed by a partner)
• Waking up gasping or choking
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty concentrating

If you experience these symptoms, talk with your dentist or physician. Untreated sleep apnea can have serious negative health impacts. It increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline, motor vehicle accidents (from tiredness), and premature death.

Oral Appliances vs. CPAP Therapy

Sleep apnea is sometimes treated with CPAP therapy. CPAP (which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) uses a mask and machine to deliver pressurized air that keeps the airway open during sleep.

Oral appliance therapy uses a custom device designed (most commonly) to wear over your teeth and gently reposition the jaw to help keep the airway open.

For patients with mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea – or for those who struggle with using a CPAP machine – oral appliances may be an effective option.

Your physician will determine whether an oral appliance is appropriate for your specific case.

Oral Appliance Designs

Depending on the severity of your sleep apnea, your jaw structure, and your treatment goals, your dentist or physician may recommend one of the following appliance designs:

Non-Adjustable Oral Appliances

Simple design for stable jaw positioning

These appliances hold the lower jaw in a predetermined forward position. They are typically used when only mild advancement is needed or when jaw position has already been carefully determined.

Adjustable Oral Appliances

Designed for gradual, customized advancement

These devices allow your dentist to make incremental adjustments to the position of the lower jaw (called “titration”). These adjustment are designed to optimize airway improvements and minimize jaw discomfort over time.

Most modern oral appliances are adjustable.

EMA ® Custom, Adjustable Oral Appliances

With over 30 years of use by sleep apnea patients, EMA ® Custom oral appliances are clinically proven to improve nighttime breathing comfortably and effectively by maximizing airway space.

At GT Smiles, we specialize in providing EMA ® Custom oral appliances as a proven option that brings relief without unnecessary bulk or complexity.

How Long Will I Need to Wear an Oral Appliance?

Obstructive sleep apnea is typically a long-term condition. For most patients, oral appliances are worn nightly on an ongoing basis, for years or for life.

Because treatment is long-term, comfort and fit are critical. Unlike over-the-counter “boil and bite” products, which can be bulky or have a poor fit, professionally-made custom oral appliances are designed specifically for your bite, providing more reliable comfort and protection over time.

How Long Do Oral Appliances Last?

It depends on the material and type of appliance:

• Appliances made of thicker materials may last for years, but can still wear, break, or become difficult to keep clean;
• Appliances made of thinner materials need more regular replacement.

Custom oral appliances made of thin plastic materials are lightweight and comfortable to wear, which is critical for long-term use. But it also makes them more likely to accumulate scratches, surface wear, and distortions over time.

These issues create two problems for the oral appliances:

1. They become better homes for bacteria, which can cause odors, cavities, and gum disease. Eventually, no reasonable cleaning routine will be able to get rid of enough bacteria to keep your oral appliances truly clean – even if you see no obvious signs of dirtiness.
2. They may no longer work as well as intended. Over time, subtle wear, distortions, and material fatigue can reduce how predictably your oral appliance maintains the intended jaw position. Even it appears intact, your oral appliance may not be providing the same level of protection as when it was new.

Either way, it’s time for new, replacement oral appliances…

So How Often Should I Replace My Oral Appliances?

To maintain hygiene, fit, and reliable airway support, you should consider replacing oral appliances made of thinner plastic materials at least once per year.

You’ll find more and more providers recommending proactive replacement rather than waiting for visible failure. Subscription options for oral appliances are emerging for this reason, with every-six-months replacements becoming a popular option.

Won’t That Be Expensive?

It doesn’t have to be.

Providers who offer subscription-based programs understand that oral appliances are a long-term solution, not a one-time purchase.

At GT Smiles, we work closely with dentists to recommend pricing models designed to support ongoing care, to make regular replacement of oral appliances a predictable and affordable part of your healthcare budget.

Oral Appliances from GT Smiles

GT Smiles works directly with dental providers to integrate subscription-based oral appliance care into their practices:

• Dentists maintain clinical oversight,
• Patients receive replacement appliances when appropriate, and
• GT Smiles handles everything in between.

The system is designed to make it as easy as possible for you and your dentist to support better breathing, more restful sleep, and improved health for the long term.

Material Options

We currently have the following material options for GT Smiles oral appliances:

GT FLEX ® PRO	GT FLEX ® MAX	GT FLEX ® GREEN
Traditional Plastic	Traditional Plastic	Plant-Based Material
Clear	Clear	Pearly White
Long history of use by thousands of patients; trusted and reliable	Our thinnest material option; designed for added comfort	100% free from traditional plastics; for anyone looking for plant-based alternatives
Available Now	Not Applicable	Available Late-2026*

* GT FLEX ® GREEN is expected to commence clinical evaluations in the U.S. for oral appliances in 2026. We estimate that GT FLEX ® GREEN could be available for wider use for oral appliances here in the U.S. by the end of 2026 or early-2027.

Should I wait for GT FLEX ® GREEN?

If you prefer a plant-based option, already have oral appliances, and those oral appliances are still functioning well, you might consider waiting until GT FLEX ® GREEN is available.

But if you need new oral appliances today, you shouldn’t wait to get them. With sleep apnea, earlier intervention can help you avoid more severe long-term health effects.

If you need new oral appliances today, you can always start with GT FLEX ® PRO traditional plastic material and then change your subscription to GT FLEX ® GREEN when it’s available.