Falls Church Sleep Apnea - Sleep Disorder Treatment

Do you or a member of your family snore while sleeping? Suffering from heavy fatigue caused by a night of interrupted sleep? These may be symptoms of sleep apnea.  At our Falls Church dental practice, Drs. Love and Miller provide a comprehensive solution to sleep apnea using dental appliances that help patients finally achieve a full night's rest.  In fact, Dr. Love and Dr. Miller are two of the few dentists certified to treat sleep apnea in the Falls Church area.   

WHAT CAUSES SNORING?

Snoring can be the result of several factors. Typically, snoring is caused by the relaxing of the muscles and soft tissues in the throat and mouth, making the air passage smaller. The decrease in space through the airway makes it harder for each breath to get through, and when it does get through, it moves over the soft tissues in the mouth and throat and causes a vibration that results in the snoring sound. Other causes of snoring may include:

• Excess body weight
• Alcohol consumption
• Certain sleep aides or sedatives
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

WHAT IS A MANDIBULAR ADVANCEMENT DEVICE?

If you snore at night, then a mandibular advancement device (MAD) may represent a solution and a better night's sleep! The MAD is a specially designed dental device that gently helps keep the lower jaw, or mandible, in a forward position, increasing the space between the airway passage and helping you breathe better so you can get a full, quiet night's sleep.

Some devices also stop the tongue from falling back over your windpipe. Your dentist will fit these special appliances to meet your individual condition.

IS A MAD COMFORTABLE?

The answer is simple — YES! A mandibular advancement device is made to be comfortable, so that you can sleep without even noticing you're wearing it. It does not prevent you from breathing with your mouth open and will even eliminate snoring for patients with sinus congestion or allergies. You may experience some slight stiffness of the jaw for the first few mornings after wearing the device, but this feeling is only temporary, and will go away after you wake up and remove the device.

Schedule Your Falls Church Sleep Apnea Treatment Consultation

To learn more about a mandibular advancement device, contact our practice and schedule an appointment and consultation.