Oral Appliance Therapy in San Diego, CA: A Comfortable Solution for Better Sleep

Sleep is as important as diet and exercise. However, if you snore or have sleep apnea, you may not get the restorative sleep your body needs to repair, restore, and renew. At Spectrum Dental—Style Your Smile, we love your sleep health as much as you. We offer custom oral appliances in San Diego, California, providing a conservative but effective solution for snoring and sleep apnea.

Why do I snore?

Snoring is the gasping or snorting sounds made when tissues in the throat vibrate against each other. It occurs when the soft tissues relax, partially blocking the upper airway. As air moves past the airway, it encounters resistance, causing the vibration we call snoring.

Factors that lead to snoring include:

  • Poor sleeping posture
  • Smoking or alcohol intake
  • Nasal congestion or allergy
  • Deviated septum
  • Using depressants or other muscle relaxants
  • Anatomical structure of the nasal cavity or throat
Oral Appliance Therapy options for sleep apnea in San Diego, CA.
Obstructive sleep apnea treatment professional in San Diego, CA.

When should I be concerned with snoring?

Everyone snores at some point in life. However, there is a time when snoring is more than a nighttime annoyance. When snoring is loud, chronic, and accompanied by the symptoms below, it’s time to seek medical evaluation:

  • Waking up with a sore throat or headache
  • Feeling exhausted, no matter how many hours you have slept
  • Choking or gasping for air when sleeping
  • Poor concentration during the day
  • Irritability or mood changes
  • Poor focus and memory feel foggier than ever before

If any of these struggles feel uncomfortably familiar to you, they could be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This severe sleep disorder causes stop-and-start breathing cycles when sleeping. These disruptions put a strain on your bodily systems, leading to more than just sleep disturbances. Untreated sleep apnea heightens the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression, and other systemic illnesses.

What is oral appliance therapy?

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea can disrupt your sleep and health. Traditionally, doctors use CPAP therapy, which involves wearing a mask to keep your airway open during sleep. CPAPs work, but many patients struggle with the comfort, noise, and daily inconvenience of wearing a mask every night.

Oral appliance therapy is a simple alternative to CPAP therapy. The dentist uses a custom-made oral appliance worn during sleep to keep your airway open. The appliance fits comfortably over your teeth, much like a mouthguard or orthodontic retainer. It gently repositions the lower jaw and tongue, reducing airway collapse that contributes to snoring and OSA.

What are the benefits of custom oral appliances?

You should not learn to live with sleep disorders such as OSA. They not only ruin your nightly sleep but also have far-reaching consequences for your overall health. Thankfully, your San Diego dentist can address these sleep-related struggles with a simple treatment: oral appliance therapy.

Here is why many patients love custom oral appliances:

  • Effective for mild to moderate cases
  • Custom fit enhances comfort
  • The appliance can fit into your pocket, making it easy to travel with
  • Simple to use and maintain
  • Discreet treatment

Do you need treatment for snoring and sleep apnea in San Diego, CA?

Oral appliance therapy is a powerful, patient-friendly solution for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. If you are looking for a CPAP alternative in the San Diego area, call (858) 365-8154 and schedule an appointment with Spectrum Dental—Style Your Smile. Dr. Salauni Karia‘s accreditation with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine reflects our commitment to delivering high standards in dental sleep medicine.

Woman using CPAP for obstructive sleep apnea in San Diego, CA.