Sleep apnea causes a person to stop breathing while they sleep, posing a serious threat to their lives. Due to obstructed airways, breathing becomes interrupted and people may even gag, choke, or gasp for several seconds at a time. This may seem like a concern to address with a doctor, but oftentimes the problem can be fixed with a visit to the dentist instead. Dentists in Kona have the tools and equipment available to treat sleep apnea and help patients experience a better night’s rest.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Many people use CPAP machines for their sleep apnea, which is a device that uses air pressure to keep the airway from collapsing while a person sleeps. While this method is still available, another type of oral appliance therapy is becoming more widely used. Essentially a mouth guard, the appliance works to keep the jaw slightly forward so the airway is fully open. This allows the person is wearing the guard to breathe easier at night and get more rest.
A Custom Fit
People cannot simply get one of these guards off the market. They must get a custom fit that is molded from the shape of their mouth. A dentist will create the guard from a teeth mold, ensuring a custom design that works for just that particular person.
The process often starts with a powdered mixture added to water and adhered to the teeth. It creates an impression of the teeth, giving both a lower and upper portion that will get used to creating a cast. A stone cast is the second step of the process. Dental stone and water get mixed together for a soft consistency, and it gets placed within the impression. After it fully hardens, the stone gets removed and used to create the guard during an extensive fabrication process. The oral appliance will get fitted to the person’s mouth to ensure a proper fit before they are made to wear it nightly.
Dentists in Kona can treat many conditions, and that includes sleep apnea. Anyone suffering from this condition should visit Carter S. Yokoyama D.D.S. for a consultation. He can fit the oral guard to a person’s mouth, ensuring a custom design and fit that works well. Click Here to learn more about this process and the additional services this dentist offers for future solutions.
