Sleep apnoea dental clinic

Snoring and sleep apnoea can reduce the quality of your sleep – and in turn, cause more serious health problems, such as chronic fatigue and heart complications. At Dentists of East Melbourne, our team is committed to identifying and addressing these conditions to help you get a restful sleep.

Sleep apnoea is a disorder where people suffer from obstructed breathing or a lack of breathing while sleeping. During obstructive sleep apnoea, people experience a repeated inability to inhale properly.

Snoring, while seemingly harmless, is a symptom of sleep apnoea. This can lead to chronic sleep apnoea, which has more serious health implications as it reduces oxygen levels in the bloodstream. Outcomes can include heart disease, high blood pressure, headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, memory problems, and even psychological problems. Such implications can take a toll on your every day activities, and prevent you from living life to the fullest.

Snoring and sleep apnoea can result in both the sleeper and their partner waking multiple times throughout the night. This disrupts sleeping patterns for both parties – leaving both the snorer and their partner deprived of mental and physical energy in the mornings (as well as drowsiness as the day progresses).

If you want to alleviate snoring or sleep apnoea, speak to Dentists of East Melbourne today. Our clinicians will examine your condition and help find a custom solution for you.

In most cases, we recommend Somnomed, a non-invasive dental device that enables you to breathe more easily. Somnomed appliances are custom made. They gently position your lower jaw forwards to open your airway. Personally fitted by an experienced member of our team, these devices help you get the deep sleep that you and your partner need. It also has the added benefit of preventing teeth grinding at night.

Should you be experiencing more complex and/or severe symptoms, our team will collaborate with medical specialists – and as always, ensure your case is handled with the utmost medical care and attention. The end result is less stress and healthier wellbeing for you and your family.

Yes, a dentist can help with snoring in many cases. At times, people experience snoring due to issues related to the structure of the jaw, mouth or throat. Snoring may be a sign of serious and life-threatening conditions. Disordered breathing results in reduced oxygen to the body, resulting in more strain on the heart. Reduced oxygen to the brain is also a result of disordered breathing and leads to fatigue, difficulty concentrating. The affects on one’s ability to function/ concentrate is likened to the effect of alcohol. Our team has dentists who have been trained in sleep dentistry and can offer treatments for snoring and sleep apnoea.

After a thorough examination, our dentist will work closely with you in order to find a treatment that is specific to your case and addresses the underlying cause of your snoring. This will usually require an evaluation & assessment:

• Evaluation and referral – our dentists are trained to evaluate patients for sleep disordered breathing including snoring and sleep apnoea. If necessary, they will refer patients to sleep specialists for further evaluation to measure the level of disordered breathing and ensure that a dental device and/ or treatment is sufficient to address your particular issue.

 Dental treatments may include:

• Oral Appliance – a custom made oral device such as a Mandibular Advancement Device which is worn during sleep to help hold the jaw and tongue in a more favourable position to prevent airway collapse and, hence snoring.
• Orthodontic Treatment – in some cases, orthodontic treatment may be recommended to correct structural issues and hence improve airflow during sleep.

Dentists play a crucial role in management of snoring by providing tailored treatments to address your individual needs. If you are experiencing snoring, book in with one of our friendly and experienced dentists today to start your journey to a better and more refreshed sleep.