Oral Appliance for Snoring | Twin Aspen Dental Center

Sleep Better with a Custom-Made Dental Appliance

If you or a loved one snores, it can make sleeping feel next to impossible, at times. However, the effects of snoring can go beyond the inconveniences of disturbing your partner or entire household from sleeping. Snoring could be a symptom of sleep apnea, which is a severe sleeping disorder that often leads to other more serious health issues if left untreated. Snoring is the sound caused by airway tissues vibrating against each other when they’re blocked. While snoring is common among older adults and those who are overweight, if you experience snoring, you don’t have to live with it. We may be able to help you stop snoring and sleep better with a custom-fitted oral appliance. Many times, our snoring treatment is covered by your dental or medical insurance. Contact us today to request your free consultation.

What Causes Snoring? How Does It Differ from Sleep Apnea?

According to the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, snoring is a medical condition that should be diagnosed and treated by a qualified professional. You should always consult your doctor first before seeking the advice of your dentist. Your doctor may have you complete a sleep study to determine if you have a snoring issue or the more serious condition known as sleep apnea. Snoring can be related to sleep apnea, though it should be noted not everyone who snores necessarily has sleep apnea. When you sleep, tissues in your mouth and throat relax and shrink your airways. If your airways become blocked, these tissues will vibrate every time you inhale and exhale, causing the sound commonly referred to as snoring.

Snoring is most often associated with sleep deprivation. If you often feel tired during the day or wake up gasping for breath during the night, you could be suffering from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by a person experiencing pauses in their breathing during sleep, usually several times per sleep cycle. All those interrupted breaths add up over time. Sleep apnea has been associated with an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke in many patients. The most common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

Insomnia
Lethargy
Restlessness
Difficulty Breathing
High Blood Pressure
Short-Term Memory Issues
Depression
Anxiety
Sore Throat
Poor Performance

Snoring Treatments Vary by Patient and Severity of Snoring

At Twin Aspen Dental Center, our custom-fitted oral appliances and mouthguards are used to treat snoring and even sleep apnea in mild-to-moderate cases. Recommended snoring treatments will vary by patient, depending on the severity of their snoring and related symptoms. Treatment may begin with simple lifestyle adjustments, including losing weight, making dietary changes, quitting smoking, or drinking less alcohol or caffeine at night. It may also be necessary to examine your sleeping position. Patients who sleep flat on their backs typically have more issues with snoring than patients who sleep on their sides.

Once these changes have been implemented, our dentist may suggest having you submit to a thorough oral examination and consultation to discuss FDA-approved oral appliance therapy to reduce your snoring. During your consultation, our dentist will create a mould of your teeth, which will be used to fabricate your oral appliance. When you return, we may make adjustments as necessary to ensure the perfect fit. Follow-up visits will be scheduled to monitor the success of the treatment over time.

What Are the Benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy for Snoring?

Oral appliance therapy involves custom-fitting a patient for a mouthguard designed to reduce snoring by pushing your jaw forward and holding your tongue securely in place while you sleep. This helps to prevent airway blockages. A dental appliance fits similarly to an orthodontic retainer. If not fitted accurately, such devices may cause jaw pain and other issues. It’s essential to discuss snoring treatments with your dentist to avoid risks and complications. According to the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, oral appliance therapy offers several advantages to patients with snoring or sleep apnea issues. Because they’re custom-made by your dentist, these devices are comfortable and easy to wear. They’re also portable and easy to maintain, making them ideal for travel. Many patients have reported a significant reduction in snoring as a result of wearing a custom-fitted oral appliance at night.

Request a Free Consultation with Our Dentist Today

At Twin Aspen Dental Center, we’ve made it easy to stop snoring and sleep better by giving our patients a free consultation. Using a few non-invasive tests and state-of-the-art technology, we can determine if you’re a good candidate for one of our custom-fitted oral appliances or mouthguards. These appliances are usually covered by medical or dental insurance and can quickly become the most valuable component in your life for a good night’s sleep, better energy levels, and a reduction in snoring and morning headaches. If you’d like to learn more about snoring treatment options offered at Twin Aspen Dental, contact us today to get started.