At Absolute Dentistry, we offer Okotoks Snoring Solutions to help everyone get a better night’s sleep.
Is snoring an issue for you or someone you love?
What are Dental Snoring Appliances?
Snoring Appliances are worn in your mouth while you sleep. They are designed to prevent vibration and collapse of the upper airway. There are three basic kinds of Snoring Appliances that are used in the treatment of Snoring and OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea):
- Devices that pull the tongue forward that are useful in properly selected patients.
- Devices that use a flange at the base of the tongue to hold the tongue out of the pharynx which is ineffective and often dangerous.
- Devices that advance the mandible and which are the most effective kind.
What are the health effects of snoring?
Most chronic snorers are often overweight and middle-aged. Snoring may indicate the more serious underlying medical condition sleep apnea (see below). Severe snoring can cause profound marital discord and sleep deprivation for both the snorer and bed partner. The effects of sleep deprivation are as follows:
- Severely reduced cognitive performance
- Increased risk for vehicular and industrial accidents
- Daytime sleepiness
- Reduced immune system responsiveness
- Decreased productivity
- Slower reaction time
In addition, some research has linked snoring to the following:
- Hypertension
- Premature death
- Type II diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Heart disease
Snoring vs. Sleep Apnea?
Snoring is loud, unwanted noise (sound) associated with breathing during sleep. At the other end of the sleep-disordered breathing spectrum is sleep apnea, which is a cessation of breathing for ten seconds or longer during sleep. A person with sleep apnea usually awakens hundreds of times during the night but usually does not remember the awakenings. Snoring is usually associated with sleep apnea but having snoring during sleep does not necessarily mean a person has sleep apnea. To properly differentiate primary snoring (simple snoring) from sleep apnea either a sleep diagnostic test must be done at home (i.e., unattended recording) or in the sleep laboratory (attended recording).
Once a proper diagnosis is made, a snoring treatment solution can be implemented. Your Absolute Dentistry Dentist will usually be the one to fit these special appliances to meet your individual condition. Typically they will take a mold of your mouth and have a customized mouthpiece fitted.
Our dental practice always welcomes new patients no referral is required!
