Sleep Disordered Breathing in Highgate HIll, QLD

At Be Well Dental, we are passionate about more than your dental health. We aim to provide a wide range of treatments to promote overall health and wellness for you and your loved ones. When you feel good, it enhances your quality of life and improves how you relate to others.

Sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnoea, can have a significant impact on your health. Poor jaw alignment can cause airway obstruction, leading to sleep apnoea and snoring, while bruxism and teeth clenching may worsen both conditions. Treating these issues holistically is essential to improving sleep quality.

What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)?

OSA occurs when the muscles of the throat relax too much during sleep, causing a temporary blockage of the airway. This leads to pauses in breathing—sometimes hundreds of times a night—often without the person even realising it.

OSA can affect people of all ages, including:

• Adults who snore loudly or wake feeling unrefreshed
• Children with large tonsils/adenoids or narrow jaws
• People who are overweight
• Those with jaw or airway anatomy issues
• Individuals with a family history of sleep apnoea

Many people with OSA aren’t aware they have it until a partner notices loud snoring or breathing pauses during sleep. Common symptoms include:

• Loud snoring
• Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty concentrating or brain fog
• Irritability or mood changes
• Dry mouth or sore throat on waking
• Teeth grinding at night

Health Risks of Untreated OSA

If left untreated, OSA can contribute to serious long-term health issues, including:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease and stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity and metabolic issues
• Depression and anxiety
• Memory and cognitive decline
• Increased risk of accidents due to drowsiness

Diagnosis starts with a thorough discussion of your symptoms, medical history, and sleep habits. If OSA is suspected, we’ll recommend a sleep study (polysomnography) to confirm the diagnosis.

To make this process easier, we partner with Arise Sleep, a trusted sleep physician-led service offering home-based sleep studies. This partnership ensures our patients receive expert care and fast access to high-quality diagnostics, often in the comfort of their own home.

Treatment Options for OSA

Treatment for OSA depends on the severity of the condition and individual needs. It may include:

• Lifestyle changes: Weight loss, positional therapy and reducing alcohol or sedative use
• CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure): A machine that delivers air through a mask to keep the airway open (commonly used for moderate to severe OSA)
• Surgical options: In some cases, surgery may be recommended to address anatomical blockages.
• Custom mandibular Advancement Splints

At Be Well Dental, we offer custom-made mandibular advancement splints. They are considered by many to be a comfortable alternative to CPAP for mild to moderate OSA.

These oral appliances are designed to gently reposition your lower jaw forward during sleep, keeping the airway open and reducing snoring and breathing interruptions.

Our MAS devices are:

• Tailored to fit your mouth for optimal comfort
• Adjustable to maximise effectiveness
• Portable and easy to travel with
• Often preferred by patients who can’t tolerate CPAP

If you want dental care from an experienced team you can trust, we invite you to consider Be Well Dental. Our goal is to help you achieve your best oral health, so whether you need regular dental treatment or specific care for TMD or a sleep disorder, we’d love to hear from you.

If you’d like to arrange a consultation, we invite you to call us on (07) 3846 2002.