Alleviating Sleep Apnea

If you’ve ever been kicked out of bed for snoring too much or too loudly, or if your snoring is disrupting your sleep patterns, you may have something called sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea comes in two forms. The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your airway is blocked while sleeping. The blockage can be from your uvula, tonsils, tongue, throat tissue or even by the muscles in your throat.

A more rare form of sleep apnea is caused by disruption of your central nervous system. The signals from your brain that control your breathing don’t reach the appropriate places.

Regardless of which type of sleep apnea you have, what happens is that you stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds, several times a night while you sleep. This causes you to wake up, which disrupts your sleep and prevents you from getting the quality deep sleep your body needs to function at its best.

Sleep apnea can cause heart disease, strokes and other debilitating conditions. Treating the root cause and establishing a diagnosis early can be life-saving.

Breathe easier and sleep comfortably with a Vivos / DNA Dental Appliance

Dentists are known for everything having to do with teeth. So, how can a dentist help you stop snoring and improve your sleep?

Dentists can see signs of sleep apnea often times before a physician by signs and symptoms associated with your teeth (i.e. tooth wear, clenching/grinding, face shape, bite, alignment of teeth). We offer our patients a sleep study that can be done in the comfort of their own home and bed. Based on the results, the appropriate referrals and treatment options can be established.

In some cases, there are lightweight, comfortable dental devices that realign your jaw in a more forward position, which helps you to breathe easier and sleep more soundly.

This custom-fitted Vivos/DNA dental appliance fits in your mouth and is much easier to wear at night, and can eliminate the need for a C-PAP in mild and moderate diagnoses of sleep apnea.

Call Pinehurst Dentistry at 910-695-3100 to start breathing easier and sleeping better!