Airway Centric Dentist / Sleep Apnea Williamsville, NY
As an airway centric dentist, we can help patients struggling with breathing issues through unique treatment. While there are a variety of causes for breathing problems, jaw alignment and other oral health conditions can hinder breathing. Oftentimes, you may suffer from chronic health problems which can be a direct result of an insufficient airway. When your body is not receiving oxygen, your body enters a perpetual state of “fight or flight” and reacts by putting pressures on the other systems that directly affect your entire body. Approximately 2 million people are diagnosed annually with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and it is estimated that 40% of the adult population in the US suffers from sleep disorders.
An airway centered dentist specializes in treating health conditions that can limit your ability to breathe correctly. Dr. McCarthy is among the first dentists in the United States to become educated on the effects of an ineffective airway on our overall health. Because this problem affects her personally as well as her family members, she takes sleep apnea and snoring very seriously as its effects are deadly. She has committed to the continuing education necessary to be able to diagnose and treat airway insufficiencies, as well as to understand what that means in terms of not just oral health, but systemic health.Airway centered dental services are available at Shannon H. McCarthy DDS in Williamsville and the surrounding areas. We can help treat snoring issues, sleep apnea, breathing problems that result from crowded teeth, difficulty sleeping, and more.
Call 716-689-8882 to set up an appointment with Dr. McCarthy, DDS and begin the path toward more comfortable breathing today.
Why Choose Shannon H. McCarthy for Airway Centered Dentistry?
- Among One of the 1st Dentists in the United States to Offer This Advanced Treatment
- Perfect for Patients Who Hate Their CPAP
- State-of-the-Art System For Non-Surgical Treatment
Do You Suffer From Any of These Symptoms?
- Do you suffer from clenching, grinding, or gritting your teeth?
- Do you have crowded teeth or a small jaw?
- Does your tongue have teeth marks on it from pressing it up against the teeth all the time?
- Do you snore?
- Have you been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
- Do you wake yourself up from sleep with gasping or choking?
- Do you suffer from chronic headaches, neck aches, or backaches?
- Do you notice that your jaw pops or clicks when you open and close your mouth?
- Do you have a history of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, or thyroid disease?
- Are you struggling with your weight?
- Have you had teeth extracted to make room for braces?
- Do you have trouble with GERD or heartburn?
- Do you have a history of depression and/or anxiety?
- Do you have difficulty with falling and staying asleep?
If any of these apply to you, you should determine whether airway issues are involved.
Treatment Without Surgery or CPAP using the DNA/MRNA appliance
Dr. McCarthy offers both effective snoring relief and an alternative to CPAP therapy for OSA patients. The DNA/MRNA Appliance System has been effective in the resolution of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and other sleep and breathing disorders in both children and adults. Your appliance is fitted and created by Dr. McCarthy and the appliance is well-suited for both snoring relief and mild to moderate forms of sleep apnea. Similar to an athletic mouth guard, the device is worn orally in the evening and while sleeping, then removed in the morning. The System works by helping to prevent soft tissues in the throat from closing – and thus keeping the airway free of obstruction. Patients who successfully complete the 24-36 month treatment may no longer require CPAP or Mandibular Advancement (oral devices worn while sleeping over a lifetime). The FDA-cleared oral appliance treatment is an all-natural, non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical solution effective in addressing some of the underlying causes of OSA. Researchers have published about 80 clinical studies showing clear and compelling evidence of changes in the overall size and position of the upper airway and surrounding facial structures. Many of these articles can be found on the vivoslife.com website.
The Benefits Are Obvious
Although dental appliances may not be suitable treatment in severe obstructive sleep apnea, the remedy has already proved to be a practical option to painful surgery, drugs and CPAP in the vast majority of cases. Oral appliance therapy has been so successful in treating snoring and sleep apnea that today postgraduate courses are helping dentists learn more about it. Our objective is to encourage people to seek medical attention. We work closely with patients to determine if their condition, their teeth, bone structure and their desire for alternate therapy make them a potential recipient.
What to Expect From An Airway Centric Dentist
As an airway centric dentist, we can perform treatments that restore a patient's functional breathing. These treatments clear obstructions in the patient's airways, allowing air to move freely and quietly through the nose. Most sleep-disordered breathing is the result of underdeveloped structures in a person's airways, face, temporomandibular joints, jaw, or teeth.
Poorly-developed craniofacial structures can leave a person's mouth too small to house their tongue properly. This type of structure issue can lead to blockages in their airways, especially while people sleep. For example, weak facial structures can lead to the tongue resting against the soft palate. If the tongue rests against the soft palate, it can lead to the soft palate falling into the throat, cutting off normal airflow during sleep.
Possible Breathing Treatment Options
The goal of airway centric dentistry is to address the cause of a patient's breathing issues. We use specific dental appliances to expand dental arches and jaws gradually. This expansion allows allowing the arches and jaws to hold the tongue in its proper position, lowering the odds of the patient's airways collapsing during sleep.
Each patient's dental appliance is customized to meet their unique needs. The patient wears a removable appliance before going to bed so the device can help encourage proper bone growth, improving the patient's condition.
Benefits of Seeing An Airway Centric Dentist
Being able to breathe properly fuels the body with the oxygen it needs to keep your body healthy and vibrant. Getting treatment for your breathing-related sleep disorder provides benefits like:
- Reduced teeth grinding
- Reduced snoring/sleep apnea
- Increased energy and mental focus
- Helps benefit hormonal, metabolic, and cardiovascular health
Call Us Today
We can help treat breathing issues so you can begin to live life to the fullest. Call us at 716-689-8882 to learn more today and schedule an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes on during an appointment with an airway centered dentist?
During an initial appointment, we will begin with an evaluation of the patient's symptoms, posture, and facial structures. We will also go over the patient's medical history and possibly recommend a sleep study. If we determine it will help the patient's condition, we will design a customized oral appliance for the patient to wear at night.
How long does treatment with an Airway Centric Dentist take?
Each patient's treatment period varies based on their unique symptoms, but the average is somewhere around 18 months. Most patients will wear their appliance at night while asleep. However, we will go over the specific details of treatment during an appointment.
How often do I need to see my Airway Centric Dentist during treatment?
To ensure treatments are going as planned, patients might need to visit us every four to six weeks for a checkup. During these appointments, we will evaluate any improvements in the patient's symptoms and measure the expansion of their craniofacial structures.
Do oral appliances help treat?
Yes. Studies have shown that these devices can help to reduce snoring. These devices work by preventing the tongue from falling to the back of the mouth or by preventing the jaw from going to a relaxed state.
Contact Us
Shannon H. McCarthy DDS is located at
777 Hopkins Road
Williamsville, NY
14221
