Services we offer include:
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly starts and stops during sleep. It occurs when the throat muscles intermittently relax and block the upper airway during sleep. Some symptoms of Sleep Apnea are snoring, daytime sleepiness, headaches, irritability, anxiety, depression, memory loss, gastric reflux, and high blood pressure.
Patients with sleep apnea can stop breathing up to hundreds of times per evening, for time periods ranging from 5 seconds to over a minute in length. While breathing is stopped, and oxygen is restricted to the heart and brain, the increased heart rate and stimulation cause the body to momentarily wake. This disruption in sleep pattern is what causes excessive daytime drowsiness and exhaustion in patients.
If left untreated, the constant strain placed on the heart and brain, coupled with poor sleep quality and duration can result in serious and dangerous complications to your overall health, including heart disease, stroke, mood disorders, and accidents related to daytime drowsiness.
- Oral Appliance Therapy:
For some patients experiencing obstructive sleep apnea, your sleep physician may recommend an oral sleep appliance to help alleviate the underlying symptoms and complications associated with it. Symptoms of sleep
apnea can include excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, high blood pressure, and nighttime teeth grinding.A sleep appliance is a device that is worn in the mouth overnight, designed to position the lower jaw slightly forward, thereby bringing the tongue forward, and expanding the throat in a way that keeps your airway open to facilitate unobstructed breathing while you are asleep. There are several designs and styles of sleep appliances available to assist with treatment, all capable of being custom fitted to the contours of your mouth.
Given the potentially dangerous complications arising from untreated sleep apnea, it is critical to work closely with your dentist to develop a treatment plan that meets your unique needs and promotes your overall health.
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TMJ/TMD Treatment:
People who grind their teeth can sometimes develop a serious problem with their jaw, which left untreated, can adversely affect the teeth, gums and bone structures of the mouth.
One of the most common jaw disorders is related to a problem with the temporomandibular joint, the joint that connects your lower jaw to your skull, and allows your upper and lower jaw to open and close and facilitates chewing and speaking.
People with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) often have a clicking or popping sound when opening and closing their mouths. Such disorders are often accompanied by frequent headaches, neck aches, and in some cases, tooth sensitivity.
Some treatments for TMD include muscle relaxants, aspirin, biofeedback, or wearing a small plastic appliance in the mouth during sleep.
Minor cases of TMD involve discomfort or pain in the jaw muscles. More serious conditions involve improperly aligned joints or dislocated jaws. The most extreme form of TMD involves an arthritic condition of the jaw joint. Traumatic injuries also can cause jaw dislocation. In these cases, jaw surgery may be required to correct the condition. Some jaw surgery can be performed arthroscopically.
If you have a life-threatening or severe injury, call 911 or go directly to the nearest hospital emergency room.