Breathe Better, Sleep Soundly with Oral Appliance Therapy from Lifestyle Dentistry

Have you been diagnosed with snoring or obstructive sleep apnea? While these sleep disorders can wreak havoc on your health and love life, treatment doesn’t always involve uncomfortable and invasive procedures. Lifestyle Dentistry in Smyrna, Georgia, offers oral appliance therapy (OAT) to treat snoring and OSA. Many patients prefer this treatment because of its ease of use, comfort, and effectiveness. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Aja Nichols today to see what OAT can do for your health and life.

How OAT works

Over the years, and even today, a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine has always been the go-to procedure for snoring and mild to moderate OSA. This device keeps the airway open by delivering a steady airflow through a mask placed over your nose. While CPAPs can be effective, they have a very low compliance rate. Patients using these machines often complain of nasal stuffiness, claustrophobia, dry mouth, and other discomforts.

Can’t or don’t want to tolerate a CPAP? We offer another option, which is more comfortable and easy to use. If you have failed attempts with a CPAP, Dr. Nichols offers oral appliance therapy as a great alternative. This treatment uses a custom-fitted device to keep the airway open by holding the tongue and jaw optimally.
An oral device prevents snoring and allows your body to receive sufficient oxygen supply. Oral appliances improve your sleep hygiene and reduce sleep apnea health complications.

Types of oral appliance devices

Sleep apnea oral appliances are removable devices worn at night before you go to bed and removed right after waking up. Several types of oral devices exist, including:

  • Rehabilitation Care Appliances: These appliances are literally life-changing. They are FDA-cleared for the treatment of snoring, mild to moderate OSA in adults, and jaw repositioning with expansion technology.
  • Mandibular advancement devices (MADs): Often made of tough yet comfortable material, these devices fit over your upper and lower teeth to keep your lower jaw in a forward position while you sleep. Repositioning your jaw creates space in the oral cavity for better breathing.
  • Tongue-retaining devices (TRDs): These devices are made from soft plastic to secure your tongue when sleeping. A TRD prevents your tongue from collapsing, keeping your airway unobstructed as you sleep.
  • Combination therapy devices: These devices combine the features of both MADs and TRDs. They resolve multiple issues contributing to snoring and OSA, including collapsed soft tissues and a narrowed airway.

Benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy

OAT is an effective, non-invasive treatment that seamlessly fits into your lifestyle. Many people prefer this treatment to CPAPs because it offers many benefits like:

  • Comfortable treatment
  • Easy maintenance
  • Discreet treatment
  • Easy to use
  • Noiseless treatment
  • Portability

Lifestyle Dentistry in Smyrna, GA, recommends oral appliance therapy for patients with snoring and mild to moderate OSA. To benefit from this treatment, please call (678) 884-4494 to schedule an appointment with 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.