This is one of the most exciting areas of cosmetic dentistry. Utilizing the concepts of facial and dental beauty to help people breathe better. Sleep apnea effects millions of people. Sleep apnea is on the far end of the poor sleep scale. But between healthy sleep and sleep apnea there are many other sleep disorders that effect millions more. It’s all about oxygen which is what our body needs. Some of us don’t get enough at night and if can have very harmful effects on our mind and body. Oxygen is vital for all our bodies function. If you suffer from sleep apnea and you can tolerate the CPAP machine or an oral device, then you are lucky. But if you are like many that can’t tolerate these devices, there may be other solutions out there for you.
So, what is cosmetic sleep apnea treatment? It is sleep apnea treatment that steps back and looks at the entire face and smile to see how this contributes to sleep apnea. If we step back and look at the causes of sleep apnea, in some cases there may be dental and facial causes. For example, maybe you had 4 bicuspids extracted as a child for orthodontics. This may have caused you not to enough room for your tongue to move away from the back of the throat. Did you know that you can open those spaces back up and get your dental arch bigger to help give your tongue more room? Some people have facial growth issues where their lower jaw did not grow enough to provide adequate airway. There are surgical solutions to advance the facial bones creating a bigger airway. Sometimes simple orthodontic expansion can even help those that struggle with sleep. There are many possibilities out there to help us breathe better. I work with an incredible group of specialists that can help evaluate your situation and come up with a plan.
