Airway Dentistry Corpus Christi
A Healthy Airway Leads to Better Sleep
For Dr. Pitarra and our team, “sleep dentistry” and “airway dentistry” are interchangeable terms that we use to describe how the collapse of your airway when you lay down can impact your quality of rest. To help you understand exactly how your anatomy is related to your sleep, our team has put together some helpful information below. To learn more, we invite you to schedule a consultation with our knowledgeable experts at Sarah Pitarra, DDS.
Why Choose Sarah Pitarra, DDS for Airway Dentistry?
- Customized Vivos Oral Sleep Appliances
- At-Home Sleep Testing Available for Diagnosis
- Detailed Cone Beam CT Scanner for Airway Analysis
What is Airway Dentistry?
Your airway is directly connected to your oral and overall health in a number of ways, affecting everything from your quality of sleep to your jaw joints and jaw function. Your upper airway includes your nose and mouth, as well as your oropharynx, nasopharynx, and larynx. Dr. Pitarra takes the time to analyze your airway, making sure everything is functioning as it should be. When it’s not, you may see exasperated dental problems like bruxism (teeth grinding), or even symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea is a sleep-breathing disorder that involves the collapse of your airway, causing chronic snoring and limiting your oxygen flow as you’re resting. As a result, you may wake up gasping for air in the middle of the night or experience chronic snoring. Dr. Pitarra offers an alternative to CPAP treatment, called oral appliance treatment (OAT). When worn at night, this custom-made oral appliance will assist in holding your airway open as you rest, helping you achieve deeper, more regenerative sleep.
Lip & Tongue-Tie Treatment
Lip and tongue ties occur when the frenum, which are small bands of tissue that connect the lips to the gums and the tongue to the floor of the mouth, are overgrown or too thick, restricting their movement and function. Typically, this issue is diagnosed in children, and if it’s severe, it can also lead to sleep-breathing disorders as a result of the tongue obstructing the airway. Fortunately, our team is happy to offer frenectomies, also known as lip and tongue tie treatment, to help children sleep and breathe better.
The Benefits of Airway Dentistry
By practicing airway dentistry, where Dr. Pitarra examines not just your mouth, but also the anatomical structures attached to it, allowing her to ensure your airway is functioning effectively. Some of the benefits that could arise as a result of this comprehensive, whole-body approach to care include:
- Improved quality of rest
- Reduced snoring
- Enhanced brain function
- Reduced risk of chronic medical conditions
- Greater energy and more focused
- Feel less fatigued throughout the day