There are a lot of mouthguard or night guards in the market nowadays that you can purchase for sleep apnoea, TMJ problems and snoring in the Sunshine Coast area. However, did you know because they are not fitted professionally to fit your mouth, 50% of the time, they can make the problem worse without patients realising it. That’s scary isn’t it?
1. TMJ, grinding and sleep apnoea is generally very poorly taught at dental schools as there are a lot of other things to be learnt within five of education.
Most dentists know how to take an impression of the teeth and make a guard. The important thing is not just having plastic between your teeth so you don’t break them when you grind and it doesn’t necessarily prevent the airway to collapse when you wear it at night. The important thing is to put your jaw in an improved physiological position, and to keep the airway open, so that you can breathe clearly and have a better night’s sleep.
Dr Wei and Dr Caitlyn were aware that like most dentists they knew very little about this topic, so they went on a journey of learning. To date, Dr Wei and Dr Caitlyn has completed combined thousands of professional development hours on the subject since graduation as she has family members that suffer from problems with TMJ and sleep apnoea and finds the subject fascinating. We are passionate about the subject and wants to provide the best for our patients.
2. We diagnose properly.
We refer you to a sleep technician to get a comprehensive sleep study which is reviewed by a Sleep Physician and GP to diagnose and report the findings. We also examine the airway, the muscles and tendons of the head and neck area to rule out other causes of the sleep problem first. Did you know the reason that some people struggle with the CPAP masks is because their noses are obstructed? Even though the CPAP machine is producing a lot of air pressure, often it’s not getting through the nasal cavity properly, as a result the air leaks everywhere and can causes discomfort. As a result, patients often stop wearing it and risk heart attacks in their sleep.
We don’t just look at your teeth and forget the rest of the body. Grinding or snoring is a physiological response of something else that’s going on. If you just have a piece of plastic in your mouth that’s not well fitted to maximise the physiological benefits, you might have protected teeth, but could end up with worse health outcomes. If you have been grinding or clenching for a long period of time and develop headaches, we need to relax your muscles first so your jaw is in a more comfortable position. Just imagine, if you break your arm, instead of just putting a cast on in the broken position, you need to reset the bone first in a good position before you put the splint on. It’s similar, if we just make a splint/ guard/ orthotic in your current tense position, it will not help the muscles to relax, and you might still have headaches and jaw pain after that. We relax the muscles with low dose laser therapy, massage, TENS or other methods to relax your muscles.
We also use a latest technology 3D X-ray ( CBCT ) with low radiation dose to assess your airway in a predicable way to see if oral appliance will work or not?
We check for dysfunctions of the muscles in the head and neck area, tongue restriction ( tongue tie ) and assess the oral function. Research shows that by improving muscles tones of the head and neck region can reduce snoring and sleep issues.
3. We quote.
We provide a quote which includes ongoing reviews and adjustment, so there are no surprises.
4. We review.
We will review after issuing the night guard, and re-do sleep screening test to make sure it is working perfectly for you and adjust it accordingly until it reaches a sweet spot.
5. We are proud of our work. We provide 3 years warranty for our appliance depends on the products.
Our oral appliance is 3D printed by a high end lab in Sydney using biocompatible materials. It’s light, strong and comfortable
6. We are team player.
We work with local functional doctors, ENT, GP, Osteopath, Chiropractor, Physiotherapists, Breathing Practitioners and Naturopaths, to ensure all factors are considered and if there are other issues things need to be addressed like Improving the airway, nutrition, or posture, Dr Wei will refer the patient to the relevant practitioners.
7. Payment plan
We have options for payment plans available, so it means less time worrying about finances and more time to focus on what’s important.
8. We don’t bite!
Wattle Street Dental are a friendly caring team. You don’t need any more reasons. We are based in Cooroy, in the Noosa Hinterland. Come and see us. 🙂
Make An Appointment Now
Visit our Sunshine Coast dental clinic to make an appointment for a sleep apnoea appliance consult with Dr Wei or Dr Caitlyn. Call 07 54477669.