Night Guards: A night guard is a very beneficial appliance for people who grind/clench their teeth at night or have TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction). Moulds are taken from the teeth and sent to the lab so that you will have a custom-made appliance. These custom-made mouthguards are much better fitting than those purchased at the drugstore.
Sports Guards: Sports that involve contact or fast-moving objects like baseballs can cause injury to the teeth (fracture or complete loss of a tooth). To help prevent injury, we can make a sports guard that is custom-fit to cover the patient’s teeth. We take a mould of the upper teeth and then make a model to form the sport guard. This is done in our office, and several colour options are available. We might even match your sports team jerseys!
Snoring and sleep apnea: More than one million Canadians have sleep disorders. These problems often go undetected or misdiagnosed. One type of disorder, sleep apnea, affects people of all ages. Untreated sleep apnea affects your general well-being by increasing your likelihood of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, or Type 2 diabetes. Some other consequences of sleep apnea are impaired memory and concentration, daytime sleepiness, teeth clenching, headaches, and mood changes resulting from jaw and facial pain.
SLEEP APNEA SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Family members are usually the first to pick up on the signs of sleep apnea. The most common signs and symptoms are:
• Gasping for air or choking/coughing during sleep.
• Loud snoring followed by silent pauses.
• Feeling unrefreshed or tired after a night’s sleep.
• Morning headaches.
• Waking up with a sore throat or dry mouth.
• Poor concentration or memory loss.
• Urinating frequently throughout the night.
It is important to recognize that having one or more of these signs and symptoms does not mean you have sleep apnea. However, if you are concerned that you or a loved one may have sleep apnea, we invite you to schedule a professional evaluation with our office.
WHAT IS THE MAIN TYPE OF SLEEP APNEA? Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep disorder. It is characterized by airflow blockages lasting more than 10 seconds. OSA can be caused by excessive tissue in the back of the tongue, throat, or nose. OSA is classified as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on how often these blockages occur per hour. These airway blockages can occur as few as five and as many as 60 times per hour. Our office uses a custom dental appliance worn at night to correct mild and moderate OSA. If your sleep apnea is caused by tongue pressure collapsing your airway passage or by incorrect jaw positioning, an oral sleep appliance can correct this problem. This custom appliance is removable, worn only at night, and resembles an athletic mouthguard.
Severe sleep apnea is best treated with a continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) ventilator blowing air into the lungs through a mask strapped around the head. CPAP is sometimes used in combination with an oral sleep appliance as well. However, most people with OSA prefer to wear a mouth appliance if possible.
YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP QUALITY BY:
• Maintaining proper weight and getting regular exercise.
• Eliminating alcohol, tobacco, sedatives, caffeine, & carbohydrates.
• Sleeping on your side with a comfortable pillow.
Call our office today at 403-646-2465 to schedule your sleep consultation and learn how we can help you get the sleep you deserve!