Sleep Appliances

Do you wake up feeling tired, even after a good night’s sleep? Does your partner complain about your constant snoring? It’s not unusual to snore occasionally, but if you’re snoring all the time and losing sleep, you may be suffering from what's known as sleep disordered breathing, which can include sleep apnea. Many patients who have sleep apnea and have struggled with using a CPAP mask find relief using a customized oral appliance available at Dr. Stone's Office.

Properly known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), sleep apnea occurs when your normal sleep is interrupted because there's not enough oxygen in the blood. If you have OSA, you actually stop breathing in your sleep, and your body wakes itself up to restart breathing and restore oxygen levels. Incredibly, some sleep apnea patients experience episodes as often as one hundred times per hour!

The traditional nonsurgical treatment for sleep apnea is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP. This is administered through a facial or nasal mask during sleep.

However, sleep apnea patients often complain of discomfort when using the mask, and others simply don’t like wearing the mask because they find it restricting and uncomfortable. The real problem occurs when patients put their health in jeopardy by not using the device regularly or by giving up on it entirely.

Simple, Effective Sleep Apnea Treatment

Sleep apnea needs to be addressed as quickly as possible because the condition can lead to serious health complications. Diabetes, heart disease, and stroke are a few of the severe health risks associated with untreated sleep apnea.

The first step is to find out if your snoring is associated with sleep apnea. Dr. Stone will coordinate with your physician, who may recommend a sleep study to get a better understanding of your problem. Sleep studies can be conducted at your home, but in some cases, your doctor may recommend a hospital-based study. If you’ve already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, we will work with your doctor to make sure that an alternative to CPAP is appropriate for you.

If we find that you have mild to moderate sleep apnea, you may benefit from a custom-made oral device that allows you to breathe normally and eliminates the need for use of the CPAP mask. This simple appliance opens up your airway and allows you to breathe freely, which reduces snoring so you and your partner can both get a good night’s sleep. No two sleep apnea patients are alike, and we will customize your device to meet your specific needs.

Teeth Grinding While You Sleep

Teeth grinding is a common problem for many people and is often related to stress. But it may be that your dental bite isn’t balanced (when you bite down, you hit harder on one side of your mouth than the other), and you grind constantly, especially during sleep. This can lead to premature wearing of teeth as well as head, jaw, and neck pain.

In this case, Dr. Stone can create a customized splint called an NTI device that fits over your teeth to prevent them from coming into contact with each other. Minimizing teeth grinding reduces wear and tear on your teeth, and NTI devices are also FDA-approved for the treatment of migraines.

Get the Results You Want and the Sleep You Need

Your first step toward relief is to give us a call and arrange a consultation with Dr. Stone. At that time, we’ll talk about any symptoms you’re experiencing and your options for treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

My partner says I snore. How can you help?

Just about everyone snores from time to time. Snoring can be the result of taking certain medications, drinking alcohol, or being overweight. But if you’re snoring all the time, and you feel like you’re struggling to catch your breath while you sleep, you may have a condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

This is a serious and potentially life-threatening problem that needs to be treated as quickly as possible. Sleep apnea has been linked to health problems like high blood pressure and even strokes. But in many cases, Dr. Stone can provide the solution you need so you can get a good night’s sleep.

It’s important to understand that snoring does not always mean that you have sleep apnea. We will work with your physician to determine if your snoring is related to sleep apnea, or if it’s caused by another problem.

In many cases, we can create a custom night guard that holds your jaw in a neutral position to minimize or eliminate snoring. If we find that your snoring is related to sleep apnea, you may be a good candidate for an oral appliance that will treat the problem safely and comfortably.

If your snoring is so loud and annoying that it wakes your partner, we’ll help you take the necessary steps to find the cause. Please contact our office and we will arrange an appointment for a consultation to get you the help you need.

How does the appliance work to help manage snoring/sleep apnea?

An oral appliance is a small plastic device that fits over the upper and lower teeth, similar to an orthodontic retainer or mouth guard. The appliance is worn in the mouth during sleep to prevent the soft tissues of the throat from collapsing and obstructing the airway. Oral appliances work by slightly advancing the lower jaw which in turn moves the base of the tongue forward and opens the airway to allow improved breathing and reduced snoring and apnea during sleep.

How does a night guard help stop teeth grinding?

It is normal to grind your teeth occasionally, especially during moments of high stress. But if you grind and clench your teeth to the point where you feel pain in your head, neck, or shoulders, a custom night guard offered at our dental office can change your life!

The exact reason that people grind their teeth can vary widely. It can be something as simple as stress or as complicated as problems with your temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD.) But for many people, the reason is a misaligned dental bite.

Whatever the reason for your teeth grinding and clenching, it’s important to have the problem addressed. If there is not a significant underlying problem, like TMD, the solution may be as simple as a custom night guard.

You may only experience the symptoms of teeth grinding, like chronic headaches, and not even be aware that you are constantly grinding and clenching while you sleep. A night guard created specifically for you by Dr. Stone is designed to hold your jaw in such a position that your teeth cannot meet. This effectively eliminates the ability to grind your teeth, giving your jaw and teeth a chance to rest.

Seeking treatment for teeth grinding is important, because it can lead to excess tooth wear and erosion as well as other more serious problems like TMD. If you think you show signs of teeth grinding like head, neck, and jaw pain, please contact us. We will work with you to pinpoint the problem and get you the relief you need.

Meet Our Doctor:

Dr. Reid Stone DDS

“Dentistry is an industry where advancements in technology are rapid, and I enjoy constantly learning and implementing new technology and techniques to better treat our patients.”

Dr. Stone received his Bachelor of Science degree from Baylor University, and then attended the University of Colorado, School of Dental Medicine, where he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. In addition to his education, Dr. Stone participates in many hours of continuing education courses each year; far exceeding the 100-hours required every five-years to maintain his South Dakota Dental license.

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