Sleep Dentistry in Sarasota, FL

What Is Sleep Dentistry?

Sleep dentistry refers to treatment for sleep disorders such as snoring and sleep apnea. These conditions typically originate in the mouth, making them treatable by your dentist.

Procedures Offered

We provide the following sleep dentistry services:

Snoring Therapy. Snoring can not only disrupt your sleep, but that of your partner or roommate, preventing you from getting quality sleep at night. Snoring occurs when your tongue slides back toward your throat to partially block your airway. We can create a custom snoring mouthpiece for you to wear at night that repositions your jaw while you sleep to prevent snoring.

Sleep Apnea Treatment. Sleep apnea occurs when your airway becomes completely blocked by your tongue or the tissues of your throat and you stop breathing for seconds or even minutes at a time. This causes disruption to your natural sleep cycles as you wake up and resume breathing repeatedly throughout the night, preventing you from getting quality sleep. A custom snoring mouthpiece can also prevent sleep apnea by keeping your airway open while you sleep.

Why Choose Meadows Dental Associates of Sarasota

Sleep disorders are diagnosed and treated by a variety of medical professionals, but Meadows Dental Associates of Sarasota provides comfortable, compact solutions for snoring and sleep apnea. A custom mouthpiece can keep your airway open while you sleep, offering an alternative to a bulky, noisy CPAP machine. It can also prevent teeth grinding at the same time, which often accompanies sleep disordered breathing.
We believe that quality sleep is a crucial aspect of a healthy lifestyle. Our patients find that their overall health and wellness improves when their snoring and sleep apnea are well controlled.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sleep Dentistry

How do I know if I have sleep apnea?

Most patients are not aware that they have sleep apnea unless a partner notices the snoring and pauses in breathing. Other signs and symptoms include:

Dry mouth when waking
Headaches
Sleepiness throughout the day
Lack of energy
Difficulty focusing
Waking up gasping for breath
Insomnia

Why see a dentist for sleep apnea?

Dentists have a thorough knowledge of the anatomy of the mouth, jaw, and throat that allows them to diagnose and treat sleep apnea. You can also talk to your primary care physician or get a referral to a sleep specialist, but talking to your dentist is often the easiest path to a solution.

Does a snoring mouthpiece work for all sleep apnea cases?

A snoring mouthpiece can treat sleep apnea in many cases. However, there are some types of sleep apnea that can only be treated with a CPAP machine due to the cause of the disorder. We can perform an evaluation and make a recommendation for the best treatment option for you.

Does snoring always indicate sleep apnea?

Some people snore but don’t actually have sleep apnea. Mild snoring may not lead to pauses in breathing the way sleep apnea does, yet treatment for snoring could still improve your quality of sleep.

Why does my tongue slide back when I sleep?

Your tongue is supposed to rest comfortably against the roof of your mouth and your mouth should be closed when you sleep. When there is not enough room for the tongue to fit comfortably between the top teeth it will slide back toward the throat when you’re laying on your back. A snoring mouthpiece moves your jaw forward so that the tongue doesn’t slide back.

Is a snoring mouthpiece covered by insurance?

Dental insurance doesn’t always cover snoring mouthpieces, but medical insurance often will. Contact your insurance provider for your dental and medical insurance to inquire about coverage for snoring mouthpieces.

Can you suffocate from sleep apnea?

You will not suffocate due to sleep apnea. When you stop breathing due to an airway blockage, your brain will register the lack of oxygen and rouse you from sleep enough for you to change positions and resume breathing. You may not even remember waking, but your brain and body take care of themselves during sleep.

What health problems are related to sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is often linked to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, asthma, depression, memory loss, and more. The longer sleep apnea goes untreated, the higher the risk of developing any of these conditions.

Contact Us

To learn more, call

941-377-3659

or contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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