A dental appliance is a small plastic device, similar to an orthodontic retainer, or an athletic mouth guard. It is worn in the mouth during sleep to prevent the soft-throat tissues from collapsing and obstruction the airway. Dentists with training in dental appliance therapy can design, construct and fit these special appliances to meet their patient's individual situations and conditions.

In recent clinical studies, physicians and dentists have found that in the majority of patients, a well made dental appliance, eliminate snoring.

Dental appliances work by bringing the lower jaw forward, by holding the tongue forward, and by lifting the drooping soft palate.

The success of dental appliance therapy is an important development in sleep disturbance. However, such therapy should never be undertaken in the absence of a joint working relationship between a physician and a dentist.

The following is a sleep quiz to help you rate the quality of your sleep patterns.

I've been told that I snore.
I've been told that I stop breathing while I sleep, although I don't remember.
I feel tired and irritable in the morning even though I slept through the night.
I am having trouble controlling my weight.
I sweat excessively during the night
I have noticed my heart pounding or beating irregularly during the night.
I get morning headaches.
I have trouble sleeping when I have a cold.
I have jolted awake gasping for breath during the night.
I am overweight.
I seem to be losing my sex drive.

If you answered "Yes" to any or all of these questions, please contact Dr. Cherin