Airway Dentistry

Understanding your nighttime breathing is the first step toward more restful nights. When your airway narrows during sleep, your body works harder to get oxygen. Your sleep becomes lighter and broken.

Over time, sleep-disordered breathing affects your health. It's been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and blood sugar problems. It can also affect your mood and memory.

Your mouth can show signs too. Grinding, enamel wear, and jaw pain are often associated with airway issues.

If you have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, you probably have some of these symptoms: gasping and choking during sleep, loud snoring, morning headaches, dry mouth, and daytime fatigue. It's a good idea to visit us for an evaluation.

Your dentist will ask questions about your sleep, energy, and health history. We'll also examine your teeth, tongue, jaw, and bite.

A cone-beam scan provides a 3-D view of your airway. We'll walk you through the images and explain what we see.

If we suspect sleep-disordered breathing, we can help coordinate a sleep study with a physician. Depending on the results, a custom oral appliance may help keep your airway open at night. We craft each appliance from detailed impressions of your bite. It fits much like a retainer. Many patients with obstructive sleep apnea find an appliance less disruptive and easier to use than a CPAP.

If you receive an oral appliance, you can typically expect to get used to it within a few nights. We'll check in to see how you're sleeping and how your jaw feels. Our goal is steady, comfortable improvement that you can notice in your energy and mood.

Reach out today to find out about airway dentistry in Durango, CO. Let us help you breathe and sleep better!