Overcome Snoring and Sleep Apnea with Simple Yet Effective Mandibular Repositioning Appliances

Has snoring and sleep apnea been a bane of your life? Your life and health are about to take a turn for the better. Lifestyle Dentistry in Smyrna, Georgia, offers mandibular advancement devices (MAD) to treat snoring and sleep apnea. MADs are retainer-like devices worn at night to reposition your tongue and jaw for better breathing while sleeping.

How mandibular repositioning appliances work

A MAD is a device similar to a mouthguard worn to depress the tongue and move the lower jaw to a more forward position to create space for better breathing. Snoring and sleep apnea occur when the soft tissues in the throat collapse, disrupting your breathing. A MAD holds your tongue and jaws in position to clear the airway as you sleep. This can reduce or prevent snoring and sleep apnea.

A MAD reduces breathing noises and snoring for a quiet night’s sleep. Even better, this oral device increases oxygen supply in the body by opening your airway, reducing health complications related to sleep apnea.

Wearing your mandibular repositioning device

Our dentist fabricates your oral device after taking digital impressions of your teeth. Our devices are specifically designed for your mouth, allowing a snuggle fit and improved efficiency.

Even then, it takes time to get used to a MAD. This is understandable because you aren’t used to sleeping with a foreign object in your mouth. To get acquainted with your new appliance, we recommend wearing it while watching a movie or reading an interesting book first. Then start sleeping in it. The goal is to wear it through the entire night to get the best benefit. We also understand it may take some getting used to.

Since your appliance is made with custom fit and quality materials, it only takes a few nights to get used to it. After the adjustment period, you’ll slip the mouthpiece in and rarely notice its presence. You will begin to look forward to waking up to refreshed and energized after a restorative good night’s sleep!

Maintaining your MAD

Caring for your oral device involves easy, quick steps. Observe the tips below to keep your MAD in its optimal state.

  • Rinse and clean your device in cold to lukewarm water after use. Never use hot water, as it will warp your appliance.
  • Soak your retainer daily in a dentist-directed special cleaner.
  • Store your device in a clean, dry case when not in use.
  • Observe optimal oral hygiene to keep your mouth free from decay, gum disease, and other issues.
  • Replace your MAD when you notice it’s hard and discolored.

Snoring and sleep apnea can cause emotional, physical, and mental health complications. Don’t give these sleep disorders a chance to ruin your health. Please call (678) 884-4494 to seek treatment from Dr. Aja Nichols.

Aja Gilmore-Nichols, DDS

Dr. Aja Nichols

Aja Gilmore-Nichols, DDS, attended dental school in Indiana and served in the US Navy for five years before settling in Smyrna, GA. After receiving her Georgia licensure, she worked for ‘corporate dentistry’ and a mobile dental company caring for underserved elementary and middle school children before opening Lifestyle Dentistry in 2016.

Dr. Nichols focuses on the ABCs of dentistry: Airway, Breath, and Cosmetics. With a mission to “do the right things, at the right time, for the right reasons,” she likes to educate her patients so they can make informed decisions. She aims to provide relationship-focused dentistry that helps her patients achieve their dental goals.