How does it help?
Straightening your teeth and oral structure can go a long way towards reshaping your airway and helping you get a good night’s sleep. Our dentist can use Invisalign® clear aligners to make more room for your tongue so it does not fall back and obstruct your airway while you sleep. Talk to Dr. Dennis Nagata about our Invisalign treatments in Honolulu, Hawaii, by calling 808-946-6326 to schedule a consultation at Dental Sleep Medicine Hawaii. We can determine if Invisalign is the right treatment for you!
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How Invisalign and Sleeping Disorders Relate
Sleeping disorders are considered a disease of anatomy and are often caused by the misalignment of your oral structures. If you have crowded teeth or a narrow bite, your tongue may not have proper room in your mouth and will fall back into your throat, obstructing your airway while you sleep. This leads to various symptoms, including:
- Snoring
- Insomnia
- Daytime fatigue and memory impairment
- Dry mouth
- Headaches and sore throat upon awaking
- Depression and mood changes
- Falling asleep while driving or working
Sleeping disorders are serious conditions that may lead to other health complications. Such complications can range from hypertension, diabetes and obesity to a vast number of cardiovascular problems. Sometimes, however, the solution can be a very simple one and can save you from a world of stress.
Reliable Solutions to Sleep Apnea with Invisalign
If oral misalignment is a major factor in your diagnosis, we encourage you to come see Dr. Dennis Nagata for a consultation. Dr. Nagata will be able to determine whether Invisalign is right for you and help you come up with a treatment plan.
Dr. Nagata will start with a thorough examination to determine which factors are contributing to your lack of sleep. If your oral structure is misaligned and causing obstructions of your airway, clear aligners by Invisalign may be the right course of treatment. Once you have set up a treatment plan, Dr. Nagata will use the iTero digital scanner to scan your teeth. This eliminates having to take a goopy impression of your teeth, since Dr. Nagata will scan them using a wand-like instrument. This will generate a digital 3D model of your teeth, which will be used to print your custom-fit clear aligners. Once your aligners are created, you will wear them every day for a period of 20-22 hours before coming back to receive a new set of aligners every one to two weeks, depending on your needs. Over time, the Invisalign clear aligners will gradually shift your teeth into place.
Treatment takes an average time of 6 months to a year. Knowing it can take months or a year to complete, Invisalign may seem like a slow treatment, but it can permanently treat your sleep apnea, so long as other significant factors, like weight gain or smoking, do not interfere. In the meantime, it would be helpful to consider a CPAP machine while you sleep. (This can be determined during your consultation.) Once your oral structure has been realigned, your tongue will have ample room to fit and will not fall back into your airway. You can finally have the good night’s sleep that you need while achieving a straighter smile too!
Call us to set up your consultation. Dr. Nagata can help get you on track with treating your sleep disorder. We are happy to help.