You’ve tried it all: the Oura ring, smart blackout masks, temperature-regulating mattresses, sleepytime teas, legs-up-the-wall yoga poses, and perfect sleep hygiene. Yet you still wake up tired. The truth is, poor sleep goes beyond just feeling groggy the next day—it disrupts nearly every system in your body.

“Poor sleep throws off hormone balance, increases inflammation, and puts stress on the heart. For women, it can heighten anxiety, impact fertility, and even speed up signs of aging,” explains Dr. Radhika Kapoor, a board-certified pediatric dentist. She adds that research shows chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression, with women often facing more severe effects due to hormonal changes and the stress of caregiving.

For some, relief has come from an unexpected source: the dentist’s office.

Airway dentistry is an emerging field that connects sleep medicine and dental care. It focuses on correcting disordered breathing during sleep by promoting proper airway development and encouraging nasal breathing. The result can be better sleep, improved mood, and enhanced overall health.

“Sleep-disordered breathing is an umbrella term for conditions where airflow is restricted at night—from loud snoring to full pauses in breathing, known as apnea,” says Dr. Kapoor, whose New Jersey practice specializes in airway health. According to the American Thoracic Society, this condition involves difficulty moving air through the upper airway during sleep, leading to drops in oxygen and fragmented sleep.

In adults, symptoms can include mouth breathing, snoring, teeth grinding, restless sleep, waking up unrefreshed, daytime fatigue, brain fog, memory problems, and mood swings. “Many people blame these symptoms on stress or aging, when the real issue is a poorly functioning airway,” notes Dr. Kapoor.

A matter of life and death

Some patients who receive treatment report transformative results. Cristal Gehrke, a 43-year-old mother from League City, Texas, suffered from rapid heart rate episodes, migraine-like headaches, and fatigue for over a decade. She never suspected sleep-disordered breathing because she didn’t fit the typical profile. “I just thought I was a tired mom doing my best,” she says.

While filling out a questionnaire at her dentist’s office, Gehrke’s answers suggested she might be a candidate for a home sleep test. Reluctantly, she agreed to take one. The results were alarming: her heart rate spiked to 185 beats per minute during the night, with these episodes happening multiple times. Essentially, her body was running a marathon while she was trying to rest.

Because of sensory sensitivities, Gehrke couldn’t use a CPAP machine. Instead, her dentist recommended a mandibular repositioning nighttime appliance (MRNA)—a custom-fitted, retainer-like device worn over the teeth during sleep. She started with an upper appliance, and a lower one was added a few weeks later. Within six months, she was sleeping through the night and feeling less tired during the day. Her headaches disappeared, and she experienced only one rapid heart rate episode in that entire period. “I used to have a daytime episode weekly and went through a bottle of Advil every six to eight weeks for headaches,” she recalls. A follow-up sleep study showed no signs of sleep apnea. She believes her dentist may have prevented a future heart attack.

Dentists are stepping up

It’s no accident that Gehrke’s dentist, Dr. Kalli Hale, identified this issue before it became critical. Dr. Hale, an airway dentist in Texas, began her career in general dentistry but soon realized that many of her patients’ medical symptoms were linked to oral health. Certain signs triggered her professional intuition. When she referred those patients for further evaluation, she often found underlying sleep and breathing issues—confirming that dentistry could play a vital role in whole-body health.When Dr. Hale began screening patients for sleep studies, she was often stunned by the results. She saw patients on blood pressure medication who had suffered heart attacks or developed atrial fibrillation, yet their doctors had never suggested a sleep study. “That’s severe oxygen deprivation at night, which completely alters how a person ages and their overall longevity,” she explains.

As a general dentist, Dr. Hale was making connections that primary care physicians should have been making. She immersed herself in learning about dental sleep medicine and trained specifically in obstructive sleep apnea.

Airway dentistry is not yet a recognized, board-certified specialty, nor is it a standard part of dental education or residency. Dentists must actively pursue training in this area themselves. “This usually involves certifications, fellowships, or mini-residency programs offered through accredited, evidence-based organizations,” says Dr. Kapoor. These programs provide advanced education in sleep-disordered breathing, craniofacial development, oral myofunctional therapy, and collaborative care with medical professionals—representing a focused form of continuing education.

“I quickly realized that traditional approaches often treated symptoms rather than causes,” says Dr. Kapoor. That insight—along with her own experiences as a patient and a mother—drove her to explore airway dentistry. Dr. Hale, similarly convinced of its benefits for both pediatric and adult patients, sold her seven traditional dental practices. She now operates The Airway Dentist, with four airway-focused clinics in the Houston area and three more under construction across Texas.

Disordered sleep affects both children and adults. Pediatric patients are often a central focus: airway dentistry supports healthy airway development, guides proper growth and tongue posture, and encourages nasal breathing. Mouth breathing in children has well-documented consequences, such as daytime fatigue, poor concentration, and behavioral issues. Improper facial development can even alter physical features, resulting in long, narrow faces with recessed chins and narrowed cheekbones.

Adults can benefit significantly as well. Many may already be dealing with undiagnosed airway narrowing. This trend has been linked to smaller jaws over generations, largely due to softer, modern diets that require less chewing. “A century ago, we didn’t have foods that melted in your mouth. Babies breastfed longer and used their mouth muscles much more than they do today,” explains Dr. Hale.

These structural changes impact breathing and sleep in ways that medical science is only beginning to understand. “Many medical issues we currently treat with medication are actually rooted in sleep problems,” says Dr. Hale, who emphasizes the importance of making sleep testing routine.

For adults, airway dentists recommend therapies to expand, support, and stabilize the airway, helping maintain an open passage for breathing. “Patients who once blamed fatigue or poor sleep on aging often find their energy and focus improve with the right treatment,” notes Dr. Kapoor. However, treating adults is generally more challenging and costly than treating children, since adult airways are no longer growing. “Dentists may need to perform non-surgical or even surgical procedures to achieve better jaw width and growth,” says Dr. Hale.

Airway dentistry has transformed many lives. Gehrke is one of many patients who have seen dramatic improvements. Dr. Hale reports statistically significant changes in sleep apnea and…Dr. Kapoor has observed significant health improvements in her patients after addressing their breathing issues. She notes that hypertension levels have dropped, acid reflux and environmental allergies have lessened, and many patients have been able to reduce or stop their anxiety medications. Similar positive outcomes have been reported for those with sleep apnea and chronic migraines. She adds, “Correcting breathing has also led to better TMJ pain, improved focus, and even relief from digestive symptoms. These are truly life-changing results.”

There’s an added benefit for those motivated by appearance: patients often look better over time. Dr. Hale mentions, “We see lovely changes, like reduced dark circles under the eyes, a broader smile, and even less prominent double chins.”

What does treatment involve? Airway dentists begin with a thorough evaluation using tools like Cone Beam CT scans, which create detailed 3D images of the head, airway, jaws, sinuses, and nasal passages. Home sleep studies are also commonly recommended. Treatment is tailored to each patient and may include oral sleep appliances, working with ENT and sleep specialists, or minor procedures like laser treatment for tongue ties or soft palate adjustments.

This approach is personalized and often involves multiple specialists. Dr. Hale notes that many adults require jaw expansion, though cost can be a barrier. While some treatments may be covered by medical insurance, airway dentists are typically out-of-network, and insurance reimbursements often don’t cover the full expense, leaving patients to shoulder much of the cost.

Although the FDA has approved an oral appliance called Vivos for moderate to severe sleep apnea, other options usually require out-of-pocket payment. Dentists are willing to work within patients’ budgets to achieve the best possible results. Dr. Hale emphasizes, “Even something as basic as mandibular advancement can lead to better overall health. Improving sleep quality is one of the most valuable gifts we can give, and the ripple effects on overall wellness are astounding.”

Curious about a beauty or wellness trend? Reach out to Vogue’s senior beauty and wellness editor at beauty@vogue.com.

Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions Struggling with Sleep Consider Seeing an Airway Dentist

BeginnerLevel Questions

1 What is an airway dentist
An airway dentist is a dental professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating issues related to breathing and airway obstruction especially those that affect sleep

2 How can a dentist help with my sleep problems
An airway dentist can identify issues like a narrow jaw tongue position or other oral structures that may be blocking your airway during sleep leading to problems like snoring or sleep apnea

3 What are common signs that I might need to see an airway dentist
Signs include loud snoring waking up gasping for air daytime fatigue morning headaches or being told you stop breathing during sleep

4 Is seeing an airway dentist only for people with sleep apnea
No they can help with a range of sleeprelated breathing issues including mild snoring restless sleep or even issues in children like mouth breathing

5 What happens during a visit to an airway dentist
They will evaluate your oral anatomy ask about your sleep habits and may use tools like imaging or sleep studies to assess your airway

6 Are the treatments painful
Most treatments such as oral appliances are noninvasive and comfortable Any discomfort is usually minimal and temporary

7 Will my insurance cover a visit to an airway dentist
It depends on your plan Many insurance providers cover evaluations and treatments for sleeprelated issues especially if linked to diagnosed conditions like sleep apnea

Advanced Questions

8 How does an airway dentist differ from a sleep specialist or ENT doctor
While sleep specialists and ENTs focus broadly on sleep disorders or earnosethroat issues airway dentists concentrate on how oral and jaw structures impact breathing during sleep

9 What kinds of treatments might an airway dentist recommend
Treatments can include custom oral appliances to reposition the jaw orthodontic expansion myofunctional therapy or referrals for CPAP or surgery if needed

10 Can children benefit from seeing an airway dentist
Yes issues like mouth breathing snoring or dental development problems in children can often be addressed early to prevent longterm sleep and health issues

11 How long does it take to see improvements in sleep after treatment
Many