Ft Lauderdale Sleep Apnea Dentist Explains Oral Appliance Therapy

The Benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy Explained by the Fort Lauderdale Area’s Top Sleep Apnea Dentist

If your Fort Lauderdale doctor has recommended sleep apnea appliances as a therapy to correct sleep disorders you may be experiencing, Dr. Stephen J. Pyle, Fort Lauderdale's leading expert on dental appliance therapy is happy to provide a quick rundown on how they work, what the advantages are and what your next steps should be.

If you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea you already know that the cause of your seemingly unstoppable snoring and feeling of fatigue is the soft tissue in the back of your throat collapsing cutting off the oxygen supply from the airway to the brain.

Here's Where a Dental Appliance Can Significantly Improve the Quality of Your Life

A dental appliance most closely resembles a mouth guard that you may have used when playing sports or an orthodontics guard you might have used if you needed braces as a kid. The purpose of the appliance is to slightly adjust the angle of your jaw so that the soft tissue in the back of your throat can't collapse thereby eliminating the cause of the obstruction.

The appliance itself is custom designed based on a digital x-ray or a physical mold. Dr. Pyle carefully adjusts the appliance to ensure both comfort and the desired results are achieved. Once the appliance is ready, all you have to do is install it like a mouth guard when you go to sleep and say goodbye to your spouse throwing an elbow into your side and you strangling (snoring) to get oxygen to your brain. Say hello to waking up from a restful sleep and feeling full of energy.

Why a Dental Appliance Makes Sense Over the Alternative Therapy

For decades people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea had been treated with a forced air system known as CPAP. Here's why most patients now demand a dental appliance:

• Appliances are natural and comfortable to use. Just slip it in your mouth and go to sleep. CPAP systems require wearing a mask connected to a hose.
• Appliances are quiet. CPAP systems need an electric motor to pump air into the mask.
• Appliances are travel-friendly; no special requirements needed. CPAP requires an electrical connection and space for the pump and hose.
• Appliances are simple to keep clean and hygienic, minimizing the risk of infection.

If you have questions about sleep apnea dental appliances please feel free to call our offices for answers. We have the most comprehensive dental appliance services in the Fort Lauderdale area. Call us today!

Weston Dental Office Tips on Summer Travel Oral Health Routine

How to Maintain a Good Oral Health Routine During Summer From Weston’s First Dental Office

Summer is here which means school is out and traveling for many families. It is easy to forget your oral hygiene routine when you’re out of your usual schedule or on the road. Here are some oral hygiene tips for summer travel:

1. Visit your dentist before you go away for the summer. Having major tooth problems and having to make an emergency appointment somewhere while on vacation is no fun.
2. Remember to brush or rinse after every meal
3. Take it easy on the snacking especially on long car rides
4. Bring sugar free gum with xylitol
5. Be sure to brush and floss before bed

Here is a list of some essentials to bring with you on your summer travels to help keep up your dental hygiene.

• Travel Sized Mouthwash and Toothpaste
• Bring your floss and remember to floss at least once per day
• Electric Toothbrush & Charger
• Travel size Waterpik
• New toothbrush—get one for your trip and throw it out at the end of the vacation.
• Toothbrush Holder—a simple and cheap way to keep your toothbrush clean

Maintaining your oral health routine on the road can be a challenge but by following these few tips you can have a happy smile all summer.

Fort Lauderdale Sleep Apnea Dentist on the Health Effects of Snoring

Snoring and Your Health—Fort Lauderdale Sleep Apnea Dentist Offers Insights

Snoring can cause sleep deprivation for both the person snoring and those who are sleeping along with them. But snoring is much more than an annoyance. There is now clinical evidence that most people who snore have a condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). If you find yourself waking up gasping for air or your spouse or partner complains about your snoring you may be at risk of this potentially fatal health condition. 

There is a strong correlation between snoring and the increased risk of more serious health conditions like:

• Carotid artery atherosclerosis
• Brain damage
• Heart attack
• Stroke

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Oxygen deprivation is at the heart of the threat that OSA presents. OSA is caused when the soft tissue at the back of your throat relaxes and partially collapses cutting off the airway. The vibration of this relaxed tissue as you try to force air in and out of the airway is the sound you identify with snoring. Cutting off the airway interrupts the flow of oxygen to both the brain and heart.

How is it Treated?

Most cases are treated by creating space between the soft pallet and the tongue keeping the airway open and preventing snoring. The two most common therapies are:

• This system works by providing a steady stream of air under pressure while the patient sleeps. The airway is kept open through the force of the air. CPAC requires that the patient wear a mask connected to a hose connected to an electric pump. It is not well tolerated and most patients abandon it after 30 days.
• Dental appliances. These are customized devices that fit over your teeth and slightly adjust the position of the jaw. They allow for normal speech, sipping water and are extremely effective and well tolerated by patients.

If you believe you or a partner may have OSA we would encourage you to call our Weston office today and schedule an exam with Dr. Pyle.

Tips for Choosing a Weston Pediatric Dentist

What to Look for in a Pediatric Dentist Weston’s Top Family Dentist Explains

Finding a good kid dentist who has both the training to care for your child's teeth and that your kid trusts and likes can be a hit and miss exercise unless you know what to look for. Weston pediatric dentist Stephen J. Pyle DDS has been treating kids for over a quarter century and offers some important tips for parents looking for a child dentist and who are new to the Weston/Davie area or who have a child ready for their first trip to the dentist.

How to Choose a Pediatric Dentist

One thing to keep in mind when searching for a kid dentist is geographic location is not always a limiter. Dr. Pyle has parents bringing their children to his Weston dental office from as far away as Fort Lauderdale. They find the extra drive time a small price to pay to have children who don't have anxiety over a trip to Dr. Pyle's place.

So here is where you want to start in your search for a pediatric dentist:

• Ask your pediatrician for referrals
• Ask your friends and co-workers who they take their kids to and, just as important, who have they tried and left
• Once you have found prospective dentists find out what their training is and how long they have been treating children
• Call the dental office or visit the dentist's website to see what services the dentist provides children
• Determine what dental technology the dentist uses i.e. digital x-ray, laser assisted treatment, preventive care
• Does the dentist treat toddlers to teens
• Is the dentist available for emergency dental care of kids

Of course nothing beats a trip to the dental office for a face to face with the dental staff and the dentist. If the office is all institutional décor and the staff appear to be all business, that's a reflection of how the dentist runs his or her practice and that may not be the best environment to bring a kid into. That's not to say the dentist is a bad dentist, that office may be the perfect solution for a busy adult patient whose schedule is just as tight as any health care provider but if you are put off imagine how your kid will react.

Child psychology is an important element in pediatric health care of any kind. You want a dentist with a friendly staff that welcomes children and a dentist who makes the visit a relaxed and fun experience.

At Dr. Pyle's practice that's the kind of office we run. If you would like more information or schedule an appointment for your child, please give us a call today to speak to our friendly staff.

Davie Area Dentist on What You Need to Know About Clear Braces

What You Need to Know About Invisalign® Clear Aligners Explained by the Davie Area Top Dentist 

If you want to make your less than perfect smile "perfect" without wearing traditional metal braces consult with a dentist near Davie who can offer clear braces to align your teeth. If you are an adult (or teen) and your smile can benefit from straightening but you don't want the inconvenience or appearance of metal braces, there is a clear plastic option called Invisalign® that may be the perfect solution for you.

Weston dentist Stephen J. Pyle DDS offers Invisalign® clear aligners because his busy adult patients prefer the convenience, appearance and ease of use over traditional metal braces. Clear braces offer a number of advantages over metal braces including:

• Clear braces are just as effective in straightening teeth as metal braces.
• Because the aligners are made of clear, custom fitted plastic, most people will not notice that the patient is wearing braces.
• Clear aligners can be easily removed when eating or brushing teeth eliminating the restriction on certain types of foods metal braces require and allowing for easier brushing and flossing.
• By their very nature, metal braces can be abrasive and irritate the inside of cheeks and lips. By comparison plastic braces are non-abrasive and more comfortable to wear.

How Do Clear Aligners Work?

The process starts much the same way a metal braces assessment does with an examination of your teeth. Invisalign® can correct many problems but not all and you will need a qualified dentist like Dr. Pyle to determine if you are a candidate for clear braces.

If you are, an impression will be taken along with a digital x-ray and sent to Invisalign. The company will create a 3D image that allows Dr. Pyle to map out a specific plan for creating the perfect bite and smile. From that map he can create a series of aligners that will gently move the teeth over time. Typically you will use a new aligner every two weeks depending on your progress. This also keeps you engaged as you can actually follow how the therapy is working rather than just showing up at the orthodontist's office and having some wires tightened.

If you have questions about clear aligners or Invisalign specifically, call our dental office located conveniently near Davie today and speak to our friendly staff!

Davie Sleep Apnea Dentist on the Health Effects of Snoring

How Snoring Can Be an Indicator of Serious Health Issues—Davie Sleep Apnea Dentist Explains

Loud snoring can be more than a nocturnal annoyance.  It can be an audible alarm that a potentially dangerous, even deadly health condition exists.  Snoring can cause sleep deprivation for both the person snoring and those who are sleeping along with them. There is also a strong correlation between snoring and the increased risk of more serious health conditions like:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Carotid artery atherosclerosis
• Brain damage

The medical community has clinical evidence that most people who snore have some level of a condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Snoring is much more than an annoyance. If your partner complains of your frequent loud snoring or if you find yourself waking up gasping for air, you need to be evaluated for your risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea and How is it Treated?

Essentially OAS is caused when the soft tissue at the back of your throat relaxes and partially collapses cutting off the airway. In fact the "snoring sound" is caused by the vibration of this relaxed tissue as you unconsciously try to force air in and out of the airway. Cutting off the airway interrupts the supply of oxygen to both the brain and heart not to mention the other organs in your body. This oxygen deprivation is at the heart of the threat that OSA presents.

While some cases of obstructive sleep apnea can be "cured" surgically, most are "treated" by creating space between the soft pallet and the tongue keeping the airway open and preventing snoring. The two most common therapies are:

• Dental appliances. These are customized devices that fit over your teeth and slightly adjust the position of the jaw. They allow for normal speech, sipping water and are extremely effective and well tolerated by patients.
• CPAC. This system works by providing a steady stream of air under pressure while the patient sleeps. The airway is kept open through the force of the air. CPAC requires that the patient wear a mask connected to a hose connected to an electric pump. It is not well tolerated and most patients abandon it after 30 days.

See a Trained Weston Dentist or Sleep Disorder Specialist

Not surprisingly, a dentist like Dr. Pyle who is trained in identifying sleep apnea can be the first healthcare provider who spots the symptoms while performing a routine dental exam. Dr. Pyle refers his patients to a sleep disorder M.D. for diagnosis and then works closely with that doctor to craft a custom dental appliance for the patient.

If you believe you or a partner may have OSA we would encourage you to call our Weston office today and schedule an exam with Dr. Pyle.

Weston Sleep Apnea Dentist on Getting Your Husband to Stop Snoring

Weston Dentist Explains How to Get Your Husband to Stop Snoring at Night 

If your husband's snoring is becoming a serious domestic issue, you need to arrange an appointment with Dr. Stephen J. Pyle DDS, Weston's snoring specialist. We all snore occasionally. Head colds, allergies and sinus problems can make all of us instant mouth breathers when we sleep and snoring can be a normal result of a blocked nasal passage.

But if your husband:

• Snores regularly and loudly
• Stops breathing for short periods of time
• Wakes up gasping for air
• Feels drowsy when he gets up in the morning and becomes easily fatigued during the day

Your husband may be suffering from a serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea occurs when the airway is blocked by collapsed soft tissue and/or the tongue. It cuts off oxygen to the brain and can lead to stroke, heart attack and even diabetes. As difficult as life has become for you thanks to his sleep interrupting snoring, your husband may be at serious risk.

See a Weston Dentist for Snoring?

That's not as counterintuitive as it sounds. A dentist who has been trained to identify the symptoms in the mouth and throat is in an excellent position to determine the risk during a routine dental exam. A dentist cannot diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but he can refer you to a sleep disorder specialist.

Treatment of OSA has traditionally been a forced air system called CPAP. This is a machine that forces air down the throat keeping the airway open. It sends the forced air via a hose to a mask the patient wears at night. If you thought his snoring was disturbing, wait until he climbs into bed with a mask and hose.

The second treatment is a dental appliance, a far more natural treatment available from Dr. Pyle's practice. The custom made appliance fits in the mouth and slightly repositions the jaw. Wearing the appliance does not impede speech and even allows drinking of liquids. This therapy, understandably, has a much higher acceptance rate by patients than the CPAP system.

While snoring sounds innocuous we know the stress it can cause in a relationship. When neither partner is getting sufficient sleep spats and disagreements are almost inevitable. However, if the snoring is caused by sleep apnea there is a relatively easy fix.

If you think your husband may be suffering from sleep apnea, call our Weston dental office today and arrange an evaluation.