Sleep Appliances

Have you ever wondered why you are always tired? Does your partner comment on how loudly you snore or even sleep in another room to get away from the sound? Has anyone ever heard you stop breathing for a period during your sleep? If so you may have an issue that is easily treated with the correct diagnosis.

Issues with breathing during sleep are very common, and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) can range from mild snoring all the way to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), an often debilitating disorder that can affect a person’s quality and length of life.

Depending on the type and severity of the person’s SDB there are several excellent treatments available of which many people are unaware. For severe OSA the first line of treatment is the Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) machine. For some patients this is the only option due to the severity of the problem and it is an excellent way to provide air to your body during the night. Unfortunately for many people, it is very difficult to tolerate a CPAP. There are also a variety of dental appliances that can be made to reposition the jaw and open up the airway. The appliance we use at Okanagan Dentistry is called the D-SAD by Panthera Dental. It is a very thin, highly adjustable appliance made from 3D printed nylon that is flexible and very strong, but light. To see for yourself how the appliance works, go to www.snoringpanthera.com

If you think you may have SDB, the first step is to discuss a sleep study with your physician. Once the diagnosis has been made, we can work with your sleep medicine specialist to choose the appliance that will be the most appropriate for you. Many extended medical plans will cover a dental sleep appliance. If you have any questions, please ask Dr. Leitch or Dr. Wiens any time!

Introducing Erin!

We are proud to announce a new face in our office! Erin is a Certified Dental Assistant that has joined us at the beginning of February. Her upbeat personality and excellent clinical skills are invaluable to our team!

Introduction of Fort Floss

You may have noticed that we have a new little house in our waiting room! Our patient Sarah Smith won the contest to name the house with her submission of the name Fort Floss!  Fort Floss was constructed over the Christmas break and we are proud to announce that it has a continuous flow of little ones eager to play in it. The Dr. Seuss-style project has exceeded our expectations, and it has gotten a lot of great feedback so far. The only problem is we have trouble getting kids to come out of the fort, and we would not be surprised if some of our “young at heart” patients start playing in there too! Check it out next time you are in the office.