Tooth Grinding & Snoring Solutions

At Blacktown Dentist we have three areas of specialty to help you with tooth grinding and snoring solutions:

Occlusal Splint for Tooth Grinding

Uncontrolled tooth grinding (especially during sleep) can wear away teeth and cause unhealthy stress on the tooth structure. Causes for tooth grinding vary: daily tension is the most common trigger. The results if left unchecked can lead to all sorts of problems such as headaches, neck aches, problems with the jaw joint, sensitivity of the teeth, wearing down of the tooth surfaces resulting in a change in your bite and even cracked teeth. Often an Occlusal Splint is required to protect against this problem. Splints are used to restore functional harmony and are fabricated with clear acrylic occlusal pads which allow for easy adjustment. Not only will a splint protect your teeth, it will also alleviate discomfort associated with this problem.

Anti-Snoring Appliances

Snoring is an annoying problem with several side effects. It can be disturbing for your partner; it disrupts your sleep and can also be a sign of high blood pressure or hypertension. Most importantly though it could be a warning that you suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) which could be life threatening. If required, we will refer you to a sleep specialist for further investigation.

Sleep Apnoea

Currently, Sleep Apnoea affects 1 in 5 Australian adults. Most people think only of snoring, but obstructive sleep apnoea is more serious and can lead to heart disease, strokes or heart attacks. It can cause interruptions to breathing many times during sleep, with episodes lasting from 10 seconds to 2 minutes. Mostly the person wakes up ending the episode, but rarely remembers doing so.

Do You Suffer from any of the following symptoms?

• Tiredness on waking
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Choking or gasping during sleep
• Sore dry throat on waking; morning headaches
• Poor concentration; memory deterioration
• Decreased sex drive
• Irritability
• Anxiety or depression
• Decrease in job performance

At Blacktown Dentist we can help you with a special dental appliance that prevents the airways from collapsing during sleep.