Get better sleep with a custom bite appliance.

We all rely on a good night’s sleep to help us feel rested and ready to take on each new day—and also to help us stay healthy in the long term. Everyone struggles to fall or stay asleep occasionally, and unfortunately, even a single night of this can take a toll on your body and mind. When you’re not sleeping well for an extended period, however, it’s exhausting both physically and mentally and can have a large impact on your health, work, and relationships. It’s enough to send us looking for all types of solutions!

You might not think of your dentist first when you’re looking for ways to get better sleep, but in some cases, your dentist is exactly where you need to go. There are several issues with your bite or jaw that can impact your sleep, so a custom bite appliance could be the key to helping you start getting full, restful nights of sleep again. We want you to stay as healthy and well-rested as possible, so we’ve put together a guide to help you learn more about what issues can impact your sleep, what types of custom bite appliances are available, and how they could help you.

What factors in your oral health can impact your sleep?

There are a surprising number of ways that issues impacting your oral health – including issues with your jaw – can impact your sleep. Bruxism, which is when you clench or grind your teeth, can occur when you’re asleep as well as when you’re awake. When it happens in your sleep, it can lead to pain or loud grinding sounds that could wake you up periodically throughout the night. Similarly, TMJ disorder can lead to symptoms like jaw pain or muscle soreness that can make it hard to fall or stay asleep at night.

The position of your jaw also impacts how open your airway is, so poor oral posture when you fall asleep can cause your airway to narrow. This can either work by itself or alongside other conditions that restrict your airway, such as congestion or enlarged tonsils, to disrupt your breathing and your sleep. It can cause or contribute to issues like snoring and sleep apnea, both of which can add to disrupted and nonrestorative sleep.

How could a custom bite appliance help you sleep better?

There are several types of custom bite appliances that can help you sleep better. Except for the E-appliance – which we’ll discuss below – each type of occlusal device is designed to address a specific issue. If you suffer from bruxism or TMJ pain, wearing a nightguard or occlusal splint to bed can cushion your teeth and jaw. This prevents the loud sounds from your teeth grinding together, protects your teeth from chipping, cracking, or breaking, and helps ease the pressure placed on your jaw to prevent soreness.

A custom mouthguard can be used to improve your breathing and reduce snoring at night. When this occlusal device is made for you, your dentist determines the ideal position for your jaw. This ideal position keeps your jaw relaxed while keeping your airway as open as possible. This reduces snoring or sleep apnea episodes, helping you sleep deeper and wake up feeling more rested. Finally, an E-appliance is another custom-made occlusal device that is designed to be able to address a wide range of issues, making it a versatile and incredibly useful tool for sleeping better.

Addressing these issues and getting better sleep can improve the way you feel during the day in more ways than you may have expected. You’ll feel more well-rested, energetic, and positive, but you may also notice an improvement in symptoms like headaches, muscle soreness, and more, making these custom bite appliances well worth it for many people. If you’d like to learn more about how a custom bite appliance works, feel free to check out the video on occlusal appliances for tooth wear on our patient education page.

Why do you need to consult a dentist before choosing an oral appliance?

With so many different types of oral appliances, many of which are specialized to deal with a specific issue like bruxism, TMJ pain, or a sleep disorder, consulting with Dr. Monroe is an essential step in your care. He’ll examine your teeth and your bite, talk to you about the issues you’re experiencing, and then discuss your treatment options with you.

Visiting Dr. Monroe before you choose an occlusal device to try helps ensure that you’re choosing the right appliance for you, one that will address the specific issues you need it to. It also gives you the chance to ask all your questions before you begin treatment so that you can start feeling well-informed and confident in your treatment choices.

Why is a custom-made oral device superior to over-the-counter devices?

Custom-made oral devices are superior to over-the-counter versions for a variety of reasons. Since they’re custom-fit for you, they’re highly personalized with your needs and jaw in mind, designed to hold your jaw in the exact position that’s best for you. This allows them to provide better results, makes them more comfortable, and makes it unlikely that they’ll shift out of place at night. This customization also allows them to offer better protection for your teeth, preventing them from being damaged, and makes them better at cushioning your jaw and relieving tension in it. These factors are especially important if you suffer from bruxism.

Custom-made appliances are also made from stronger, more durable materials, so they’ll last longer. If you have severe bruxism, you might even wear through or break over-the-counter devices, so although they cost less initially, you’ll be replacing them relatively often. This shouldn’t happen with custom appliances, however—especially since they can be made thicker just for you to make this even more unlikely.

Why does Dr. Monroe like the E-appliance?

Since E-appliances are custom-made, they share the same benefits as other custom bite appliances, including being more comfortable, more durable, and providing better protection for your teeth while improving the alignment of your jaws. While other custom bite appliances are very specific in what issues they can address, however, E-appliances are incredibly versatile.

They’re able to address a wide range of dental issues, and since issues that disrupt sleep like bruxism, TMJ disorder, and sleep disorders can sometimes overlap, this makes an E-appliance an ideal way to address every issue that could be impacting your sleep. Additionally, an E-appliance covers both arches of your teeth rather than just one, which makes it better for preventing tooth wear and cushioning your jaws. These qualities mean that an E-appliance could make all the difference in helping you get higher quality sleep each night so that you can wake up feeling refreshed and energized.

Count on Monroe Family Dentistry to Diagnose Oral Health Issues.

Sleep is important for your physical and mental well-being, and your dentist may be able to help you reclaim great quality sleep every night. If you’d like to learn more about getting a mouthguard in Greenville, SC, and how it could improve your sleep, feel free to schedule a consultation with Dr. Monroe at any time.