Breathing is crucial to our health and well being. Interruptions in our breathing while sleeping is referred to as sleep related disordered breathing (SRBD). This can be due to an insufficiency in the airway and results in inadequate oxygen supply to the cells of our body. Sleep apnea is one type of SRBD. Sleep is disrupted when the airflow is blocked, and you may snore or awake from sleep disrupting your natural sleep cycle. This can happen many times per night and prevents you from getting a restful night’s sleep. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) occurs when the upper airway is blocked either partially or completely during sleep.
Over 18 million Americans are currently living with sleep apnea and many of them are unaware they even have the disorder. Sleep apnea is characterized by symptoms such as snoring, clenching or grinding, mouth breathing and morning headaches. Those with OSA will often experience excessive daytime sleepiness, problems concentrating and pain in the face, head, neck or jaw joint. Your body and brain rely on the downtime during your regular sleeping hours to repair and regenerate as you rest. Prolonged untreated OSA affects the body’s major organs like the heart, brain and kidneys and deprives the rest of the of oxygen resulting in the body slowly breaking down and putting it at risk for fatal conditions.
Untreated OSA makes you 3 times more likely to develop hypertension, 4.5 times more likely to experience a stroke and increase the risk for diabetes, heart attack, cancer and depression.
ProSomnus Device in Mouth
Prosumnos Oral Appliance
SLEEP APNEA TREATMENTS
The standard course of treatment for sleep apnea is usually CPAP equipment, which delivers a steady, controlled stream of pressurized air through a hose that attaches to a facemask that is worn while you sleep. This air helps to keep the airways open to prevent obstruction and help you sleep better. For those who are CPAP intolerant or don’t want a CPAP, oral appliance therapy could be used to treat your OSA. Oral appliances have emerged as a popular non-invasive alternative to traditional CPAP. These custom fit dental devices reposition the jaw and tongue to open the airway during sleep. Oral appliance therapy is designed to treat those with mild to moderate OSA and may actually eliminate the need for CPAP equipment or surgery. If you have severe OSA this oral appliance may also be used in conjunction with other treatments to help manage your symptoms.
At Complete Health Dentistry of Park Ridge, we provide individualized patient centered care to determine which sleep apnea oral appliance fits the specific needs and preferences of our patients. Our practice offers Prosomnus mandibular advancement devices (MAD), Vivos DNA and mRNA appliances, and Myoaligner neuromuscular devices.
VIVOS
The Vivos system utilize the science of Epigentics and Pneumopedics to correct craniofacial anatomical deficiencies of the upper and lower jaw and airway that contribute to sleep apnea. The upper and lower jaw position determine the dimension of the upper and lower airway. Vivos works by lightly stimulating the bone sutures within the bone which stimulates dormant stem cells to begin to grow bone and change the shape of the airway. Expanding the upper and lower arch and helping it grow forward remodels the airway and lifts the tissues off the airway which significantly reduces or eliminates snoring and the more serious health problem of OSA
These appliance systems, the DNA and mRNA, have been approved by the FDA, are removable, easy to wear, and do not cause any forceful movements or pain. The therapy provided while wearing a Vivos appliance isn’t just a crutch or a band aid to help you sleep, it is a potential cure for snoring and sleep apnea.
PROSOMNUS
At Complete Health Dentistry of Park Ridge, we utilize Prosomunus oral appliances. They gently hold the lower jaw in a forward position while sleeping. This forward position helps open your airway to minimize snoring and alleviate the symptoms associated with OSA. Prosomnus appliances are FDA cleared for treatment of OSA and snoring.
Our most often prescribed appliance is the Prosomnus EVO/EVO Select. It incorporates advanced high performance medical grade materials, manufacturing robotics and artificial intelligence to advance the treatment of OSA. The result is an appliance that is thinner and stronger with overall bulk than other oral appliances. It also provides a precise and comfortable fit, is significantly less BPA free and easy to keep clean.
MYOALIGNER
Head, neck and facial pain can be caused from several different things, including poor occlusion, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems also called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), sleep apnea, clenching and grinding of the teeth, tongue tie and orofacial disorders.
Poor occlusion, also known as a bad bite or misaligned bite, can cause trauma to the teeth and muscles of the head and neck. When are teeth come together improperly they can create a cascade of events which include broken and worn down teeth, trauma to the bone surrounding the teeth, facial muscle imbalances, facial asymmetry, or TMJ problems, all which can lead to headaches and head and neck pain.
TMJ problems or TMD is a disorder where the joints that allow our lower jaw to move are not functioning properly. The TMJ is a very important joint because it allows us to open our mouth, talk, eat and yawn. When the TMJ is not working properly, it can cause inflammation and pain the radiates through the face, head and neck.
Sleep apnea can also be a cause of TMD. Temporary sleep interruptions, also known as microarousals, from lapses in breathing can result in clenching or grinding. Episodes of teeth grinding connected to changing sleep patterns or microarousals is called nocturnal bruxism.
If you suffer facial tension and pain that stems from a poor bite and jaw alignment, addressing the bite alignment could lead to long term resolution of your symptoms. If your jaw is misaligned, your neck and your entire body could be impacted too.
Myoaligner is a non-surgical solution for patients who suffer from poor occlusion or poor jaw alignment. Myoaligner can also help improve a poor facial profile. By naturally relaxing the jaw muscles and allowing the jaw the realign to the optimal rest position, the face not only looks more youthful, but a majority of patients report relief from jaw pain, headaches or other symptoms caused by a bad bite alignment.
Myoaligner devices snap over the teeth without any alterations to natural teeth, supporting the jaw in a more optimal and comfortable position. The new position is maintained day and night with the natural fitting jaw aligners. They feel so comfortable you can wear them around the clock and even talk and chew while wearing them. Myoaligner can also offer a cosmetic solution. If you are missing teeth, have misshapen or worn-down teeth, have tooth sensitivity due to loss of enamel, Myoaligner might be the answer to providing you with a nicer smile.
Don’t let sleep apnea or TMJ problems hinder your well-being and keep you from living your best life possible. Call Complete Health Dentistry of Park Ridge and explore the possibilities of what oral appliance therapy can do for you.
