Did you know that the structure of your mouth and upper airway can make a big impact on the quality of your sleep, your dental health and your overall health?
Oceana Dental can provide comprehensive airway assessments for children and adults. With the right treatment we can help you breathe more freely, sleep more deeply, and allow your body to make the most of its natural restorative ability.
What happens during an airway assessment?
During your initial airway assessment, Dr. Gaudet will look at your facial structure and development, the size and shape of your airway, your oral formations, and your tongue and swallow functions.
She may also assess your sleep, sleep-related breathing, and night time oxygen exchange with a take-home device called the high resolution pulse oximeter, which is worn on your finger while you sleep. If needed, Dr. Gaudet may also recommend a sleep study.
Why should I have an airway assessment?
Unfortunately in medicine today, much of the focus is on treating the symptoms that may be related to dysfunctional breathing or a comprised airway, rather than the underlying causes.
If you suffer from upper airway issues or improper facial development, it could lead to forms of dysfunctional breathing and/or temporomandibular disorders (TMD), which are connected to dental disease and other serious health concerns such as:
- Cardiovascular issues
- High blood pressure
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Head, neck and facial pain
- Frequent fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness
- Loud snoring or sleep apnea
- Cognitive problems, like memory loss
- Poor performance at work or in school
When children and teens have symptoms associated with airway disturbances, they can lead to serious consequences including chronic allergies, inflammatory diseases, prolonged bedwetting, night terrors and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
If these symptoms are not addressed at an early age, children tend to grow up to become adults with severe sleep apnea. The earlier we tackle these issues, the better.
What causes obstructed airways?
Airway obstruction is the main contributor to conditions like obstructive sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome. Obstructed airways can be caused by:
- Naturally narrow airways
- Narrow arch
- Position of the tongue
- Scalloped or enlarged tongue
- Tongue tie
- Enlarged tonsils
- Position of the teeth
- Deviated septum
- Allergies
Obesity and excess body weight are also major contributors to obstructed airways, because excess fat near the airways can obstruct breathing. If you suffer from an obstruction-related sleep disorder, our team will discuss alternative treatments with you.
What treatments are available?
Oceana Dental takes a comprehensive approach to treating sleep-disordered breathing, but the specific course of treatment will depend on the results of your assessment and your personal risk factors.
For some patients, lifestyle changes like weight loss and maintaining a healthy body weight can help relieve airway obstruction. To help with this, we may recommend working with a nutritionist.
We may recommend the Seattle Sleep Protocol for some of our patients as well. This minimally invasive process includes six steps to progressively adjust aspects of your airway to see if you experience relief at any one stage.
If needed, we collaborate with different specialists including myofunctional therapists, airway oriented orthodontists, ear nose and throat (ENT) doctors, and oral surgeons to help you get the restful sleep you deserve.