Because snoring is often the result of dental or oral conditions, dentists are frequently the first to offer treatment options for conditions that can cause snoring. If you have trouble sleeping due to sleep apnea or snoring, or your partner or family members have complained about your snoring, talk to the experts at Dental Healing Arts.
What Causes Snoring?
Snoring can be the result of a wide range of conditions. Common risk factors for snoring include:
- Muscle throat weakness, causing the throat to close during sleep
- Malpositioned lower jaw, often caused by tension in the muscles
- Misaligned teeth like crowding
- Anatomical obstructions
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Relaxants such as alcohol or drugs
How Can a Dentist Help with My Snoring?
Dentists can play a significant role in helping individuals who snore by addressing the underlying causes of snoring and providing effective treatment options. For example, Dr. Fotek may recommend using oral appliances while you sleep to open your airways and improve your breathing patterns. Certain orthodontic treatments like growth appliances can also have the additional benefit of unblocking any obstructions caused by your jaw position. This is most important in children, which we never assume not to have any sleep disorders.
How Can Dr. Fotek Help with My Snoring?
Assessment and Diagnosis is key to effective treatment. Dr. Fotek can perform a thorough assessment of your oral and upper airway anatomy to determine the cause of your snoring. This evaluation helps identify any issues such as a narrow palate, a large tongue, or a receding jawline that may contribute to snoring.
It’s not always about what the dentist can do. Sometimes the patients are the best healers through Lifestyle and Behavioral modifications. Dr. Fotek can offer guidance on lifestyle changes and behaviors that may reduce snoring. This can include recommendations to lose weight, avoid alcohol and sedatives before bedtime, and maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Simple, Safe and Effective yet very effective.
Sleep Study
A sleep study is a comprehensive diagnostic tool used to evaluate various aspects of an individual's sleep patterns and quality. During a sleep study, a patient spends a night at a specialized sleep center or in the comfort of their own home, depending on the type of study prescribed. Throughout the study, a variety of sensors and monitors are attached to the patient to record essential data such as brain activity, eye movements, heart rate, oxygen levels, and muscle activity.
One of the primary applications of a sleep study is in the diagnosis and management of sleep apnea. By analyzing the data collected during a sleep study, we can accurately diagnose the type and severity of sleep apnea a patient may be experiencing. This information is crucial for determining the most appropriate treatment approach, which may include lifestyle modifications, CPAP therapy, or even surgical interventions in some cases.
Vivos Biomimetic Oral Appliance
The Vivos Biomimetic Oral Appliance is the result of extensive research on facial development influenced by dietary and lifestyle changes. It addresses common issues like underdeveloped upper and poorly positioned lower jaws, which can obstruct the airway during sleep when muscles relax. Even in adults, these structural changes can be reversed.
This custom appliance, resembling a post-orthodontic retainer, is crafted using precise measurements and 3D scans of the mouth and teeth. Worn for 16 hours a day with periodic adjustments, it gradually reshapes the jaws and facial features, creating ample space for the tongue and airway. The Vivos appliance effectively eliminates sleep apnea, alleviates daytime sleepiness, and often leads to improvements in various associated health issues.
Fotona’s NightLase®
Fotona’s NightLase® therapy is a non-invasive, patient-friendly laser therapy for those suffering from poor sleep quality. NightLase®, a procedure intended to open up the airway, reduces the effects of sleep apnea and decreases the amplitude of snoring. This is achieved by gentle, laser light induced tightening of the soft palate, tonsillar pillar and back of the tongue.
Fontona’s unique laser design is finely calibrated to safely deliver heat into the oral mucosa system through a series of laser pulses. This process is gentle enough to avoid harming sensitive tissue while still providing clinically effective heating to the area.
The increased collagen production causes the contraction of the oral mucosa tissue. A full course of NightLase consists of three separate treatment sessions over a six-week period. The final results of the treatment have been shown to last up to a year, with yearly single session maintenance, as simple as visiting your hygienist for a cleaning.
Collaboration with Specialists: Myofunctional Therapy and Nutritionists
At our Dental Healing Arts, we understand the multifaceted nature of addressing sleep apnea and snoring issues. That's why we're committed to collaborating with specialists in myofunctional therapy and nutrition to provide comprehensive treatment solutions for our patients.
Myofunctional therapists are skilled in exercises that help strengthen the muscles of the mouth and throat, often contributing to improved airflow during sleep. By working closely with these experts, we can tailor exercises and techniques to complement your dental treatment plan, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of snoring and sleep apnea management.
What are the Benefits of Receiving Treatment for Snoring?
- Improve your sleep quality
- Decrease your risk for heart disease
- Enhance your overall health
- Live better and live longer
Ready to Get Treatment for Your Snoring in Jupiter, FL?
Snoring is associated with several adverse health conditions, including tooth decay, fatigue, dementia, heart disease, diabetes, among others. Dental Healing Arts has the treatment you need to get your overall health back on track. Call today to get started!
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