Self-surrendering to Fort Dix with a documented medical need is a situation the facility is set up to handle, and sleep apnea is one of the more common conditions that comes up during intake. The concern about dormitory-style living and the impact on other inmates is legitimate and actually works in your favor when making the case for keeping the mouth guard.
When you arrive and go through intake processing, declare the mouth guard immediately and explain what it is for. Correctional officers processing you will inspect it, and a rubber dental appliance with a clear medical purpose is unlikely to raise security concerns. In many cases they will approve it on the spot.
If they do not give immediate clearance, the question moves to your medical interview during Admissions and Orientation. That is where you want to be prepared. Bringing documentation from your doctor or sleep specialist confirming the diagnosis and the use of the mouth guard as treatment gives the medical staff at Fort Dix a basis to issue written authorization for you to possess it. Written medical authorization is the formal mechanism that allows inmates to keep items that would not otherwise be permitted.
The broader context is reassuring. The Bureau of Prisons has allowances for medical devices, and Fort Dix has housed inmates with actual CPAP machines for severe sleep apnea. A rubber mouth guard is a much simpler ask. The key is declaring it, explaining it, and having documentation to support the medical necessity if asked.
Living in a dormitory environment with untreated sleep apnea and loud snoring is a quality of life issue that affects everyone around you, not just yourself. That is a reasonable point to make during your medical interview if there is any pushback.
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