One out of five adults in the U.S. have, at least, mild obstructive sleep apnea that necessitates sleep apnea therapy. Dentists can successfully diagnose and treat patients with sleep apnea therapy, helping them get the much-needed sleep they deserve. Mountain Aire Dentistry provides custom dental devices that comfortably keep your airways open as you sleep, so you can avoid using a machine or having to undergo surgery.

Good Sleep for Better Health

Have you ever thought about the fact that you spend about 1/3rd of your life sleeping? You should be getting about 7-9 hours of sleep at night for proper rest. This is what is needed for the body to remove toxins from your body at night and to repair tissues. Studies show that the amount of fluid present in your brain actually increases at night. This helps the brain as it stores away information, sorts through memory, and removes built-up toxins in your body. If you’ve ever woken up groggy from a lack of sleep, this is one of the reasons why. Many people feel that they can get by on less sleep, but research proves that this leads to health problems, even if a person feels fine. On less sleep, the body becomes more insulin-resistant, which can lead to glucose problems. Your memory gets worse, your muscles don’t have time to recover from a hard day’s work and more.

Sleep Problems and TMJ

Sometimes, your sleep problems are not your fault. You can work hard to get the recommended amount of sleep that you should, and yet still wake up tired, groggy, and with aches and pains. If your sleep problems stem from a health condition, you will feel specific symptoms that stem from the cause. Statistics show that between 50 and 70 million people suffer from a sleep disorder. Millions of people struggle from problems such as TMJ, which is temporomandibular joint disorder.

Your temporomandibular joint is the joint right under your cheekbone. This joint acts as a sliding hinge for your jaw and is used all throughout the day. Countless people grind their teeth at night or clench their jaws tightly during their sleep. This can cause TMJ pain when a patient wakes up and that pain can last all day and lead to headaches and trouble concentrating. The pain can worsen if a patient continues to grind their teeth without getting dental help. This can deprive a person of the sleep they need, or the quality of sleep their body craves.

Sleep Apnea

Another major sleep problem that plagues people is sleep apnea, and this can be a very serious condition for some patients. Over 42 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, with the majority of those being sleep apnea victims. With this condition, a person repeatedly stops breathing during the night. The throat muscles can relax and your jaw can slump back somewhat, blocking off your airways.

A person that has sleep apnea may stop breathing for 10 seconds or more at a time (even up to minute). Or, they may stop breathing many times during a minute. This means that they are never getting to a deep enough stage to get real rest. In many cases, the brain does not receive the signals that it needs to keep a person breathing regularly. Severe lack of oxygen from serious cases of sleep apnea can even lead to death. Sleep apnea is not a problem you want to ignore.

Dental Services Can Improve Your Sleep

We know that getting enough sleep is vital to a person’s health and memory. You can’t get the sleep you need if you have a dental problem affecting your sleep. Because the problem originates from your oral health in a way, you need help from someone who specializes in this department: namely, a dentist. Millions of people struggle with sleep problems, so many measures have been taken over the years to correct sleep problems. At our office, we provide dental services that improve your sleep without you having to have a noisy or large machine to breathe with at night.

Night guards are recommended for patients who clench and grind their teeth as a way to protect their teeth and jaw joints from pain and damage. Most patients are unaware that they do this. A night guard is custom-designed from teeth impressions to minimize abrasive grinding actions. A different type of night guard is made for patients with sleep apnea that will keep their airway open and their jaws in place. With a guard, the jaw won’t slump in any direction, cutting off air flow. It can stay open and with that simple device, you can improve your sleep overnight.

Want to Improve Your Sleep?

If you know that you work diligently to get enough sleep, but still wake up tired, evaluate what is going on with your sleep. Do you feel facial pain or headaches in the morning? Do you feel short of breath or have a history of sleep apnea in your family? There are hand-held devices that patients can go home with to test their breathing at night for the signs of sleep apnea. If a patient has it, getting a proper, customized dental device can improve their sleep and especially their breathing at night.

If you come into our office to have your health evaluated, we can custom-make a dental appliance for you that will keep your airways open at night. We can also make devices that will stop your teeth grinding and problems associated with TMJ. It sounds too simple to be true, but it is. A dental device, made correctly and for the individual, can dramatically improve your sleep. You will feel a difference within the first few days as well. If you want to improve your sleep today and feel much better than you have a in a long time, call Mountain Aire Dentistry today at (303) 731-7755 for your consultation and get back to a more-rested life!