Sleep apnea is a condition where you repeatedly stop and start breathing while you sleep. You may have had it for years without realizing it, while shrugging off recurrent morning headaches and daytime drowsiness. You might not even know you snore.
Sleep apnea isn’t something you normally think about when you’re in the dental chair. You’re there for an exam and cleaning, or possibly a filling. But Dr. Brian Kraft at Payson Dental and Orthodontics in Payson, Utah, is just the right person to recognize warning signs of this sleep disorder just by looking inside your mouth.
In this month’s blog, learn how Dr. Kraft can spot signs of sleep apnea before you do.
During your routine dental exam, Dr. Kraft looks for cavities, irregularities, and problems with your gum health. He’s also looking at your bite, jaw structure, tongue position, airway space, and signs of stress on your teeth.
Some telltale red flags are:
When combined with symptoms like snoring and fatigue, these signs may point to sleep apnea.
Dr. Kraft looks for patterns over time. He watches for progressive tooth wear and subtle changes in your jaw alignment. Grinding, gum inflammation, and airway restriction point to sleep apnea.
Choppy, interrupted nighttime breathing can trigger stress responses in your body. That tension often shows up as clenching and grinding. Mouth breathing dries out saliva, increasing your risk of cavities and gum disease. What starts as a sleep problem can quickly become a big oral health issue.
That’s why our dental practices here at Payson Dental and Orthodontics focus on the bigger picture. We emphasize preventive dentistry to optimize your oral health and safeguard your overall health.
When you hear about sleep apnea, you probably think of a CPAP machine. CPAP therapy is effective, but there are other good options, especially if you have mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
That’s where Dr. Kraft’s modern dentistry care offers a different approach. Instead of simply managing symptoms, he begins with a thorough evaluation of your breathing patterns and airway structure. Understanding how your jaw, tongue, and facial development affect your airflow helps him determine whether your sleep apnea is due to a restricted airway.
One innovative option we use is epigenetic orthodontics to encourage proper jaw development and expand the airway, rather than just straightening teeth. Improving the underlying structure of your mouth and face can help create more room for better breathing.
Custom oral appliance therapy is also a popular solution. As a certified Vivos provider, Dr. Kraft uses advanced technology to custom-design an oral device that gently shifts your jaw and tongue positions while you sleep.
Unlike a bulky CPAP, this appliance:
During your follow-up visits, Dr. Kraft reassesses your symptoms and makes necessary adjustments to ensure you’re getting the best results.
Sleep apnea affects more than your sleep. Left untreated, it can increase your risk for heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. It can also make you grumpy and lead to brain fog.
You don’t have to attend expensive and time-consuming overnight sleep studies to learn if you have sleep apnea. You can start in the dental chair.
Contact our team at Payson Dental and Orthodontics to schedule a sleep apnea consultation or request an appointment online.
