Snoring and Sleep Apnea Management - Your Dentistree Mornington

Snoring can happen to anyone – yourself, your partner, and even your children. It happens when the airway is partially blocked. This could lead to interrupted sleep, waking up with fatigue and a disrupted day. At Your Dentistree Mornington, we care about your general health which means that we look beyond your teeth and gums.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a very serious medical condition characterised by the relaxation of the throat and tongue muscles and narrowing of the airways. Your brain will detect this inability to breathe and awaken you from your slumber to regain normal muscle function.  This event can happen multiple times during deep sleep, and is so quick that you may not even know it is happening to you! 

Signs & Symptoms

• Waking up with headache, fatigue or dry mouth
• Witnessed gasping or choking for air
• Excessive snoring with increased duration and loudness
• Frequent visits to the bathroom at night
• Depression
• Erectile dysfunction
• Daytime tiredness or irritability
• Insomnia
• Poor concentration and lapses in memory

Ultimately, OSA is taxing on your body. Your cardiovascular system has to work even harder to circulate more oxygen around your body to keep you living and functioning. It has detrimental effects on your health, work life, relationships, and overall happiness. If left untreated, OSA can happen multiple times every single night. It has been linked to other systemic health conditions such as depression, heart failure, skin damage, diabetes, and stroke. 

Treatment Options

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine

The gold standard treatment for OSA is CPAP, which maintains a continuous low pressure in the airway. Long-term compliance, on the other hand, is a serious concern. Many people find this equipment to be too heavy, claustrophobic, or uncomfortable around their face, and they are unable to adapt to it. Surgical techniques can be useful in some circumstances, and we work closely with a highly specialised ENT in the field of sleep medicine.

Oral Appliance Therapy

For those who have mild or moderate OSA, oral appliance therapy provides a revolutionary and more comfortable solution when compared to the CPAP mask. The appliance positions your tongue and lower jaw forward preventing it from falling back and blocking the airways. At Your Dentistree Mornington, we use only the most reputable, customised appliances that are clinically proven, comfortable, and convenient. Being one of the first clinics in Victoria to trial an ultra comfortable nylon based appliance, we have had great success providing this service to our Mornington patients! 

Why Your Dentistree Mornington?

Our team of academically accomplished and skilled dentists will screen your mouth, teeth and throat for the warning signs of OSA. We are passionate about early identification and intervention to assist enhance health outcomes at Your Dentistree Mornington. When required, a sleep study is organised, which is appropriate for your needs. After close collaboration with a sleep physician and if OSA is diagnosed, we can find a treatment option that best suits you and your lifestyle!