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405-755-4450
Diagnosed With
Sleep Apnea?
There Are More Options Than You Think.
Most patients are handed a CPAP and sent home. But CPAP isn't the only evidence-based treatment for obstructive sleep apnea — and for many people, it's not even the most effective one. Dr. Ousley specializes in everything that comes after that diagnosis, including the options most providers never mention.
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the soft tissues of the throat — including the tongue, soft palate, and uvula — collapse during sleep, blocking airflow for 10 seconds or more, repeatedly throughout the night. Each interruption triggers a stress response in your body, even if you never fully wake up.
OSA is far more common than most people realize. Approximately 22 million Americans are affected, and the majority remain undiagnosed. Left untreated, it is directly linked to:
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High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease
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Type 2 diabetes
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Acid reflux (GERD)
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Depression and anxiety
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Cognitive impairment and memory problems
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Increased risk of stroke
Common Signs and Symptoms
During an evaluation, Dr. Ousley looks for structural and functional signs that go beyond a symptom checklist:
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Loud or frequent snoring
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Waking up unrefreshed despite a full night's sleep
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Morning headaches
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Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking
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Tooth grinding or jaw clenching (bruxism)
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Scalloped tongue edges — a sign the tongue is pressing against teeth during sleep
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Large neck circumference
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Mouth breathing, especially at night
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Tongue restricted by a tongue tie (ankyloglossia)
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Large uvula, tonsils, or soft palate tissue
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Crowded or narrow dental arch
Treatment Options: A Full Spectrum of Care
Dr. Ousley is one of the few providers in Oklahoma who offers all of the following under one roof or through closely coordinated referrals:
Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT)
A custom-fitted oral appliance is the gold standard non-CPAP treatment for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. The device repositions the lower jaw slightly forward during sleep, holding the airway open and preventing the collapse that causes apnea and snoring.
Every appliance is followed by a verification home sleep test to confirm therapeutic benefit. Compliance rates for OAT reach 90% at two-and-a-half years — significantly outpacing CPAP, which sees fewer than 25% of patients still using it after one year.
For patients with severe sleep apnea where CPAP remains necessary, Dr. Ousley also offers combination therapy — pairing an oral appliance with CPAP to dramatically improve comfort and compliance, or using laser treatment to reduce the tissue bulk that makes CPAP difficult to tolerate.
LightScalpel
Laser Procedures
For patients whose snoring or apnea is driven by structural issues in the airway, Dr. Ousley performs two distinct laser procedures in-office using the LightScalpel CO2 laser — one of the most precise soft-tissue surgical tools available in dentistry today.
Soft Palate & Uvula Tightening: Lax or excess tissue in the soft palate and uvula is a primary cause of snoring and airway collapse during sleep. The LightScalpel laser tightens and remodels this tissue in a procedure that takes under 30 minutes, requires only local anesthesia, and allows same-day return to normal activity.
Tongue-Tie Release (Frenectomy): A restricted tongue that cannot rest on the roof of the mouth is one of the most overlooked contributors to sleep apnea. When the lingual frenulum is too tight, the tongue falls back toward the throat during sleep — directly obstructing the airway. Dr. Ousley releases this tissue with the LightScalpel laser in a matter of minutes, with minimal bleeding and no sutures required in most cases.
Myofunctional Therapy
Structural treatment alone — whether an appliance or a laser procedure — is only half the solution. The tongue, lips, and airway muscles must also be retrained to function correctly. Without this retraining, old habits return, tongue ties can reattach, and the long-term airway benefit is diminished.
Myofunctional therapy is a structured exercise program — like physical therapy for the airway muscles — that establishes nasal breathing, corrects tongue resting posture, and builds the muscle tone necessary for a stable airway during sleep. Dr. Ousley coordinates this care with Jennifer DeJonge, RDH, OMT of OMT of Oklahoma, who sees patients in-person and virtually throughout the state.