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Services and Treatments

Sleep Disorder Symptoms

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Do you know that dental sleep treatment isn’t just about getting a better night's sleep? There is a host of other symptoms that could be a result of certain sleep disorders, including:

  • Allergies & asthma

  • Bedwetting

  • Curved and crooked teeth

  • Hyperactivity

  • Hypertension

  • Snoring

  • TMJ/TMD•Tooth grinding

  • Weight gain

To address your sleep-related concerns, we offer service and treatment options to address the following issues.

Sleep Disorder

Sleep Disorder - Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea/Snoring obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep disorders. OSA is a syndrome characterized by involuntary muscle relaxations during sleep that block the flow of oxygen to the body. OSA sufferers may stop breathing hundreds of times per night, for seconds or more than a minute. Common signs include loud snoring, gasping, or choking throughout the night. Sleep apnea causes excessive sleepiness, headaches, forgetfulness, and drowsy driving. Most noteworthy, sleep apnea can cause or worsen the following medical problems:

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  • High blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease

  • Increased risk for heart attack / Afib

  • Increased risk for stroke

  • Pulmonary hypertension

  • Depression and anxiety

  • Weight gain

  • Migraine headaches

  • Diabetes

  • Mood swings

  • Job impairment

  • Acid reflux

  • Bruxism (teeth grinding)

  • Brain and cognitive changes

  • Impotence and sexual dysfunction

TMJ

TMJ Disorder
(Temporomandibular Joint)

TMJ is an initialism for Temporomandibular Joint syndrome or disease – but means a tense jaw. These joints connect the lower jawbone to your skull. When your TMJ becomes inflamed due to overuse or stress, pain can be present during chewing, speaking, swallowing, and yawning. If you have a tense jaw these everyday activities are painful and can restrict movement.

Symptoms can include: 

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  • Jaw pain

  • Ringing, pain, or stiffness near your ears

  • Clicking or popping when you yawn or when your jaw moves

  • Swelling in jaw

  • Muscle spasms in or near the jaw

  • Change in the alignment of the top or bottom teeth

  • A locked jaw or a jaw that restricts the opening of the mouth

Treatment Options

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Home Sleep Testing​

To assess sleep patterns and diagnose sleep disorders, we offer home sleep tests, also known as portable sleep monitors. These devices are easy to use and allow patients to undergo sleep studies in the comfort of their own homes. The data recorded during the sleep test is then analyzed and interpreted by sleep physicians specializing in sleep medicine.  This collaborative approach between our dental sleep practice and sleep medicine experts ensures accurate diagnosis and informs comprehensive treatment planning for sleep-related breathing disorders, such as sleep apnea.

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Removable Oral Appliance

  • ​OAT has proven to successfully treat OSA, especially with mild to moderate OSA. Over 95% of OAT users have reported continued use after two years. Most noteworthy, OAT has been shown to effectively control snoring in over 90% of patients. Some severe cases have even been resolved with OAT.

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  • An oral appliance is very similar to an orthodontic retainer, except it is only worn during sleep to maintain an open airway. Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is easy and significantly less invasive than the CPAP machine. OAT is quite popular because of its convenience, comfort, and portability. The appliance also protects your teeth from clenching and grinding, which is common for OSA.

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Airway Centric Functional Orthodontics 

  • ​​Functional orthodontics encompasses not only the alignment of teeth but the development of the jaws and supporting skeletal structures, “skeletal posture”.  Lack of proper arch development is the nemesis of jaw issues and crowded teeth. There is not enough room for the teeth to erupt. Functional orthodontics uses appliances, in addition to braces, to help develop what was hindered as growth was taking place.​ This includes: 

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Removable Orthodontic Growth Guides - To help promote growth and development of the upper and lower jaw in pediatric patients.

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Clear Aligners​- also marketed under brand names like Invisalign & Candid, are orthodontic devices that are a transparent, plastic form of dental braces used to adjust teeth. They are effective for moderate crowding of the front teeth.

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Fixed Appliances- Used to align and straighten teeth. Nearly 50% of the population, children and adults, have Malocclusions severe enough to warrant Braces/Orthodontics. In cases where clear aligners are not adequate fixed appliances may be needed.

Home Sleeping Test
Removable Oral Appliance
Airwawy Centric Functional Orthodontics
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