Sleep Apnea and Snoring Relief

Snoring and sleep apnea are not the same condition.

Snoring is simply the sound that occurs when soft tissues in the mouth and throat vibrate as a person breathes.

Sleep apnea involves complete airway blockage for periods of 10 seconds or longer repeatedly during a sleep session. While snoring is not dangerous, sleep apnea increases a person’s risk for stroke, heart attack, daytime fatigue, irritability, and other issues.

How we can help: Sleep apnea should be diagnosed by a sleep lab – your dentist can recommend a reputable facility.

Traditionally, a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) appliance is the gold standard for sleep apnea treatment. However, many patients do not respond well to CPAP because of a poor fit, claustrophobia or discomfort.

For these patients, and others, a sleep guard may be recommended. Your dentist can create a custom sleep guard to hold your lower jaw slightly forward, which prevents soft tissues from blocking airflow. Many patients find relief from this non-invasive solution.

If you or a loved one suffer from sleep OSA, Dr. Dixson can help with non-surgical sleep apnea and snoring therapy. There are mouthpieces we can recommend, called TAP or EMA appliances, that very effectively reposition the tongue or mandible (lower jaw) allowing you to breathe more freely.

Learn more about the TAP appliances

Learn more about the EMA appliance

Liberty Park Dental wants to help you relieve your sleep apnea. For more information, please schedule an appointment with Dr. James J. Dixson, and we will be in touch with you shortly.