Sleep Apnea and Snoring

Do you have sleep apnea or craniofacial pain? Does your partner often complain about your loud snoring or interrupted breathing during sleep? If so, we invite you to contact our Ballina dental clinic for a sleep apnea screening. Sleep apnea can affect one’s ability to get adequate sleep and can also impact your sleeping partner’s rest.

Our Ballina dentists offer non-invasive therapies for sleep apnea and snoring. With thorough evaluation and diagnosis, our Ballina dentists can help improve your and your partner’s sleep quality. At Ballina Coast Dental, we recognise and treat each patient as a unique individual. Our approach to sleep apnea treatment is a comprehensive evaluation and non-invasive therapies.  

What Is Sleep Apnea? 

Sleep apnea is a disorder characterised by the cessation of breathing or interrupted breathing during sleep. Obstructive, central and mixed are the three types of sleep apnea. 

The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is caused by intermittent airflow blockage during sleep. OSA occurs when muscles in the back of the mouth or throat––e.g., soft palate, tonsils, uvula or tongue––relax and obstruct the airway, preventing normal breathing. OSA can affect people at any age, and the frequency often increases with weight gain and age.

Common Sleep Apnea Symptoms 

Obstructive sleep apnea can negatively impact one’s health and ability to sleep. Though many people are undiagnosed, our Ballina dentists encourage you to seek treatment to improve your quality of life and get restful sleep. 

People with sleep apnea can experience symptoms like:

• Loud snoring 
• Gasping or choking during sleep 
• Dry or sore throat in the morning 
• Morning migraines or headaches
• Teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism)
• TMJ soreness or dysfunction
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood swings or personality changes 
• Gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD) 
• Daytime sleepiness

Untreated obstructive sleep apnea can cause several health issues, including stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, memory problems, irritability, depression, sexual dysfunction, depression, diabetes and more.

Oral Appliances Designed Just for You 

Many people are intolerant of therapies like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) because they find the machine uncomfortable or disruptive to their partner’s sleep. Plus, CPAP doesn’t work for everyone with sleep apnea; some patients may require a different type of treatment. Ballina Coast Dental offers non-invasive treatment to help with sleep apnea and snoring, such as custom oral appliances. 

First, we perform a thorough evaluation and screening to determine a diagnosis. We then take digital impressions of the patient’s mouth and create a custom mandibular advancement splint (MAS). The MAS is 3-D printed from nylon, so it’s more comfortable, durable and slender than the bulky acrylic mouthpieces many other dentists offer. 

The MAS fits over the upper and lower teeth and gently moves the jaw forward. It also repositions the tongue, soft palate and hyoid bone to increase the size of the upper airway and reduce air resistance. Unlike acrylic or clipped oral appliances, our nylon MAS is unlikely to break or crack, and patients can easily open their mouths or talk while wearing it. Custom oral appliances can effectively treat OSA across a range of severity and help reduce symptoms of TMJ dysfunction and bruxism, such as craniofacial pain and dental wear.

Sleep Apnea and Snoring Treatment in Ballina

If you or your loved one thinks you might have sleep apnea, we invite you to contact us today for an appointment. We welcome patients from all surrounding areas, including East Ballina, Skennars Head, West Ballina, South Ballina, Cumbalum, Lennox Head, Alstonville, Wardell, Evans Head, Wollongbar, Goonellabah, Bangalow, Newrybar, Tintenbar and Byron Bay.