If you've already started sleep apnea snoring treatment and your snoring hasn't gone away, you're not alone. We meet people every day here in Beverly, MA, who feel frustrated when things don't improve the way they expected. Because snoring can be tied to obstructive sleep apnea, we often use custom oral appliance therapy that relies on a small, FDA-approved device to help keep the airway open during sleep.

There are a lot of reasons snoring might still hang around, even after taking the first steps toward better sleep. It often has nothing to do with the treatment itself and more to do with how our bodies change over time. Some habits don't seem like they matter, but they can quietly interfere with progress. That’s why Dr. Benjamin Polan listens closely when patients say their snoring hasn’t gone away. The little details often tell the bigger story.

Sometimes it's not about starting over, it's about spotting what’s shifted. Here's what we often look for when progress seems to stall.

How Jaw Position Can Affect Sleep Apnea and Snoring

Oral appliances used in snoring treatment often work by shifting the jaw slightly forward. This creates more space in the airway and helps reduce vibration that leads to snoring. But if the jaw isn’t staying in the same position each night, that space can shrink again.

Here’s where small changes come into play. Your bite might shift slightly over time. Teeth can move, especially with age or stress. If that happens, your appliance might not fit quite the same. Even a tiny difference can change how your airway opens up during sleep. The oral appliances we use are custom-fabricated for your bite so they can reposition and stabilize the lower jaw and tongue in a way that keeps the throat more open.

That’s why we take time during appointments with Dr. Benjamin Polan to look at more than just wear and tear. We pay attention to how the jaw is actually resting when the appliance is in. Sometimes it’s only through tiny adjustments that everything starts working better again.

When Breathing Patterns Change Over Time

Just because breathing felt easier when you started treatment doesn’t mean it will always stay that way. Bodies change, and with that, so does airflow. This can affect how well the treatment keeps snoring under control.

Here are a few common changes people don’t always expect:

• Weight fluctuations can affect tissues around the neck and throat, which might narrow the airway
• Blocked sinuses or nasal swelling can force people to start breathing through their mouths
• Long-term mouth breathing can undo some of the positive effects of certain oral appliances

During check-ins, we listen carefully when someone tells us they’ve been feeling stuffy or restless at night. Dr. Benjamin Polan looks at posture, airflow, and jaw movement together to understand if a new breathing habit might be interrupting things.

Unrecognized Nighttime Habits That Worsen Snoring

Nighttime routines can have more of an effect than people realize. A few unexpected habits can creep in and start affecting how well any treatment works.

It helps to keep an eye out for habits like these:

• Sleeping flat on your back, which often makes the tongue fall backward and tighten the airway
• Eating or drinking close to bedtime, especially things that relax throat muscles like alcohol or heavy meals
• Teeth grinding or jaw clenching at night, which can change how an oral appliance sits

Sometimes people do these things without noticing. That’s why we ask questions during appointments, like when discomfort shows up or what position someone wakes up in. Dr. Benjamin Polan often connects these dots between nighttime behavior and ongoing snoring.

The Role of Appliance Wear and Tear

Even a well-made sleep appliance won’t hold its original shape forever. Over time, daily use naturally causes small changes. The material might become worn down or flexible. This often leads to the appliance not fitting snugly, which affects how much it can help.

Here’s what we often look for:

• Tiny cracks, flattened surfaces, or rough edges
• Loose joints or weakened tension that causes shifts during wear
• Material changes that alter how the appliance holds the jaw

Regular checkups with Dr. Benjamin Polan give us a chance to catch these issues early. We usually spot the changes before pain or obvious discomfort starts. That way, we can fix what needs fixing before it starts affecting the airway during sleep. Follow-up visits are also when we adjust the appliance so it continues to hold your jaw in a position that supports easier breathing through the night.

Why Small Discomfort Can Lead to Bigger Sleep Problems

Discomfort doesn’t usually start loud. A little pressure here, a small rub there, it’s enough to notice but not always enough to feel like a problem. Still, when something feels off, people naturally use the appliance less often. And that’s when the treatment stops helping altogether.

Some common signs include:

• Soreness in the jaw or gums when waking up
• Feeling like the appliance is harder to get used to over time
• Quietly removing the appliance in the middle of the night without realizing

Dr. Benjamin Polan talks through these details with patients often. Many don’t think to mention discomfort at first. But once it's brought into the conversation, they realize it’s been affecting their use night after night. The more the appliance gets skipped or shortened, the more snoring tends to return.

Getting Real Results from Your Snoring Solutions

Snoring that sticks around after starting treatment doesn’t mean something went wrong. Often, it means the details have changed. Our bodies, our sleep positions, how we breathe, all of that can shift slowly. And even small changes can make a big difference when we’re dealing with something as sensitive as sleep.

What matters most is noticing those changes as they happen. Paying attention to how your appliance feels and whether your habits have shifted can offer a lot of answers. Dr. Benjamin Polan helps patients reconnect the dots between how they’re sleeping and how well their treatment is working. Once we see what might be getting in the way, the next step usually becomes clear.

Persistent snoring can be frustrating, yet you are not without options. At North Shores Sleep and TMJ, we investigate small details that might be affecting your progress. Dr. Benjamin Polan customizes care to match what is happening in your airway, jaw, and nighttime patterns. To learn more about our sleep apnea snoring treatment, contact us today.