Rest Easy With Custom Fit Guards.
Snore Guards
If you have been told you snore or stop breathing while you sleep, you may be suffering from a disorder called sleep apnea. Typical symptoms are daytime sleepiness or fatigue, feeling unrested or able to easily fall asleep even at a red light while driving. You can have mild, moderate or severe sleep apnea.
Common side effects of untreated sleep apnea:
- Unexplained high blood pressure, cardiac or health problems
- Anxiety and/or depression
- Grinding
- Night guard removal unconsciously
Risk factors:
- anatomic anomalies such as large tongues, tonsils, adenoids, or uvulas
- Long soft palates or narrow jaws
- over weight or obese individuals
- narrowed airways
Snoring and sleep apnea issues occur when individuals are relaxed and the tongue falls back and partially or fully closes off your airway. The influence of alcoholic drinks or lack of sleep can often make sleep apnea or snoring worse. Sometimes the best option is to wear a CPAP machine to help keep the airway open and if this can’t be worn a snore guard appliance should be fabricated.
Snore guards are appliances that fit on your top and bottom teeth to shift your jaw slightly forward to give you more airway space allowing you to breath easier.
If you are experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea, discuss them with your dentist immediately. It could extend the length of your life when treated.
Night Guards/TMJ Splints
A night guard is an appliance worn on either the top or bottom teeth to help protect your teeth and jaws from the effects of clenching and grinding. Grinding is the movement of the jaw back and forth, while clenching is biting down with excessive pressure for an extended period of time. Often clenching and grinding is done by individuals when they are stressed or they try to help unconsciously open up their airway on their own while they sleep. A night guard or TMJ splint is used to help protect your teeth from wear, chipping or cracking.
Indications of clenching and grinding:
- scalloped tongue (sides of tongue are wavy and not straight)
- wear including flattening of teeth tips
- cracked, fractured or chipped teeth and/or fillings
- inside cheek surfaces have a white line called linea alba
- headaches, especially waking up with them
- sore jaw, neck or head muscles
- new spaces opening up between teeth in healthy gum and bone individuals
Other Treatment options
- Physiotherapy
- self massage of TMJ related muscles or by a massage therapist
- chiropractor treatment
- Botox
- relaxation treatment such as meditation or yoga
- change of job or what is causing your stress (if possible)
- no treatment and you deal with issues caused by clenching and grinding as they arise
If you are in need of a night guard please contact us for more information.