Most of the people hate the term ‘snoring’. It may even strain relationships. There are solutions for the problem in dentistry. Dental sleep medicine has been considered to be a proven solution for snoring. Using oral appliances is the main treatment for snoring in dentistry.
Sleep dentistry is relatively unknown for most of the people. Many of them think that dentistry is only meant for treating issues of the teeth. It is true that, your dentist can help you out if you are facing trouble with your snoring. If you snore, it may be because of different reasons such improper sleep position, certain disease conditions, tiredness etc. There are dental appliances and surgeries used to prevent snoring. Custom fabricated dental appliances can eliminate snoring by increasing the volumetric capacity of the airway and preventing soft tissue vibration. Certain researches have proven that, such oral appliances can prevent snoring successfully.
One of the main appliances used is the ‘silent night’. These are custom laminated with heat and pressure to the dentist’s model of your mouth. It can provide excellent and comfortable fit. They will not disturb your breathing and you will be able to sleep peacefully. The jaw is maintained in forward position and keeps the airway open with oral appliances.
Most of the appliances are acrylic and can fit inside your mouth. Other common devices are mandibular repositioning device and the tongue retaining device. They bring the lower jaw and tongue forward and open the airway during sleep. All these devices are effective only for mild to moderate snoring issues.
When you choose dental appliances, you should choose the best dentist who can fit the appliance properly. You may also have to go for periodical check-up in order to adjust the dental devise to fit properly. These appliances even have certain disadvantages too. It may have side effects such as soreness, nausea, saliva build-up, and damage or permanent change in position of teeth, mouth and jaw.
Severe issues may require surgeries that can be done by an efficient dentist. They can increase the size of the airway and reduce the episodes of sleep apnea. For best results, you must choose an expert who is experienced and well trained in the area of sleep dentistry.
Authored By Dr. Vinamra Dhariwal - Dentist, Chennai
