Has your family told you you’re snoring too loud? Have you ever found yourself waking up gasping for breath? Do you suffer from sleep apnea symptoms, such as severe daytime drowsiness?
Then explore these sleep apnea solutions, which are in order from most effective to least effective. Or make a free snoring and sleep apnea appointment with Advanced Dentistry by Design.
1. NightLase
This is one of the most exciting alternative treatments for sleep apnea. We use our state-of-the-art NightLase laser to change the shape of oral tissues and open your airway.
This small, handheld device is designed for laser dentistry, and patients report only feeling some heat during therapy. You don’t even need anesthesia.
After this treatment, many patients have reported their signs of sleep apnea have been greatly reduced and their snoring mostly eliminated.
2. Anti-Snoring, Sleep Apnea Devices or Appliances
A sleep apnea mouth guard will move your jaw forward, opening the airway directly. It starts working the first night you wear it.
We customize all our sleep apnea devices for each patient, making sure you’re comfortable while you sleep with the device on your teeth. This is a simple, portable solution to obstructive sleep apnea.
3. Invisalign® Orthodontics
If your sleep apnea dentist finds that your sleep issues are caused by crowded teeth or a narrow bite, we can use Invisalign aligners to permanently move your teeth—and give you a better smile for life.
The Invisalign process takes from 6–18+ months, so we may recommend another solution while it is working, such as a sleep apnea CPAP machine.
4. Explore Surgical Options
Traditional sleep apnea surgery sometimes helps. A surgeon will alter your jaw position, oral tissues, or even your nerves.
These changes have helped some patients, but it’s hard to predict which changes will work for you. That’s why we recommend other treatments first, such as NightLase therapy.
5. Use a CPAP Machine
A sleep apnea CPAP (continuous positive airway pressures) pushes air into your lungs using a face mask and a plug-in unit that sits beside your bed.
Sleep apnea machines work well in principle, but many patients don’t like wearing a mask to bed or listening to the device. Also, the mask may be uncomfortable or even fall off during the night.
6. Sleep on Your Side
One of the surprising sleep apnea cures is simply changing your sleep position. Mild sleep apnea is sometimes caused by the tongue or other tissues interfering with airflow in the throat, which causes vibrations and snoring.
Sleeping on your back may increase this airflow blockage, so sleeping on your side could relieve it.
7. Change Your Habits
Here are three lifestyle changes that may help:
- Reduce your use of alcohol, tobacco, and sedatives. These often change the shape of the throat, causing snoring.
- Lose weight. The shape of the neck can cause airway obstructions. Diet and exercise to lose a few pounds may take care of it.
- Shoot for more hours of sleep. As an adult, work toward getting at least seven hours or more per night.
8. Treat Chronic Allergies
Nasal congestion sometimes leads to trouble breathing at night. You could get a hypoallergenic pillow, take allergy medications at night, or get a humidifier or air purifier.
You may also need to vacuum or dust more consistently, as well taking a shower after going outside for longer periods of time.
9. Use a Nasal Dilator or Nasal Strips
With certain types of snoring, nasal strips on the bridge of the nose improve breathing during the night. A nasal dilator, which fits across the nostrils, works for others. However, nasal issues are often not the cause of obstructive or central sleep apnea.
10. Use Sleep Apnea Pillows
A pillow designed for sleep apnea patients may help you sleep better on its own, or it may help you sleep more comfortably with a CPAP or a dental device for sleep apnea.
Consult with your sleep apnea doctor or dentist for the most effective pillow brands and combinations of devices.
Ready to Sleep Soundly Again? Give Us a Call!
At our local dentist office in San Jose, we offer three effective sleep apnea treatments (the first three on the list above), along with a FREE sleep apnea and snoring consultation.
Start planning for great sleep, more concentration, less headaches, and much more. Call today for an appointment.