If snoring or sleep apnea keeps you awake at night, a simple appliance could relieve your symptoms. Dr. Harveer Kaur can make you an easy-to-use custom dental device to help you get a good night’s sleep.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
When you fall asleep, your tongue and the muscles around it relax. Depending on your unique anatomy, they may partially block your airway. As you breathe, the vibrations passing through your tongue and the relaxed soft tissues in your throat cause snoring. If they block your airway completely, you have sleep apnea. That means not only snoring but also waking up many times in the night, often so briefly that you don’t remember it. It can lead to profound fatigue during the day and erode your quality of life. Sleep apnea can put you at risk of a plethora of health problems, including depression, stroke, heart attack, impaired memory, and high blood pressure.
Risk factors for sleep apnea include:
- Large tonsils
- A narrow airway
- Obesity
- Age-related changes to your neck and tongue
- Hormone irregularities or disorders
- Genetics
- Health problems such as heart or kidney failure
- Alcohol use
- Smoking
Treating Sleep Apnea and Snoring
Dr. Kaur treats sleep apnea and snoring without using CPAP machines. She prefers the simple Silent Nite appliance, a mandibular advancement device made of soft silicone that is customized to fit your mouth comfortably. There’s no mask to wear or machine to plug in, which is why many sleep apnea patients prefer oral appliance therapy to CPAP.
How Does Silent Nite Work?
For patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea, the Silent Nite sleep appliance can give you a restful night’s sleep. It consists of two clear arches custom-made for your teeth, so it fits securely and comfortably. The device gently brings the lower jaw forward, opening your throat and preventing airway blockage while you sleep.
If snoring or sleep apnea is ruining your sleep, call our office at (480) 283-0733 to make an appointment and see if a Silent Nite device can help you. You can also fill out this form, and we will call you back.
A partially obstructed airway, which causes snoring.
A fully obstructed airway, which causes sleep apnea.
A clear airway with the SilentNite dental appliance. The device gently moves the jaw forward, creating space for clear breathing.