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Dental Treatment Options for Snoring

Snoring is a common problem that can be a quite a quality of life problem for bed partners. Dentistry can help manage snoring effectively and affordably. This post is a discussion of snoring specifically, not sleep apnea. Dentists can help treat apnea as well but the procedures are more involved and costly. If you think you might have apnea a dentist with sleep dentistry experience or your physician can help.

The solutions here are specifically for "non-apneic" snoring. This occurs when the individual snores but still breathes well throughout the night.

• Oral Devices - These pull the lower jaw and tongue forward which enlarges the airway allowing for less tissue vibration. Oral appliances for snoring are easy to wear and are effective in the majority of cases. For more information on oral devices go here...http://www.laserdentistbaltimore.com/oral-devices-for-sleep-apnea/
• NightLase Laser Treatment - NightLase is a non invasive laser conditioning treatment of the soft palate and associated structures. No anesthesia is needed, postoperative discomfort is minimal, and there are no restrictions afterwards. The Fotona LightWalker laser gently heats the soft tissues stimulating the formation of new collagen, which firms and tightens the palate. Available in Europe for a few years now it has been shown to effectively reduce the severity and frequency of snoring in about 80 percent of the patients. It Is not surgery and the tissue is left completely intact. For more information on NightLase go here... http://www.laserdentistbaltimore.com/new11/

NightLase Laser Assisted Snoring Treatment

NightLase is a procedure developed in Europe that has been used safely and effectively there for over four years. The procedure is very simple and virtually non-invasive. Each session takes about twenty minutes and is repeated three times over a month. No anesthesia is required and there are no postoperative restrictions. In every study of NightLase so far patients report no to very mild discomfort after the procedure.
The procedure works through a phenomenon known as "neocollagenesis" which literally means "making new collagen". Collagen is the protein in your body that is the basic building block of many of your tissues. The laser gently heats the tissue with rapid, comfortable pulses that cause the collagen to reorganize into a firmer, in effect younger form. This technique has been used for a number of years in medical disciplines such as cosmetic surgery. When used on the face, for example, wrinkles are smoothed and facial muscles tighten.
When this procedure is performed on the soft palate and throat it causes the muscles to become firmer and less prone to collapse. This instability of the pharyngeal muscles is a common cause of snoring. Over time snoring intensity , frequency, and duration lessens noticeably in over 80 percent of patients. NightLase is NOT laser surgery as no tissue is removed at all. One of the great things about it is that even if it doesn't work all that well there has been no irreversible surgery done to the patient's throat.
I had NightLase performed on me and it was very easy. During the procedure I felt a slight pins and needles like sensation each time the laser fired that was in no way uncomfortable. My throat felt mildly scratchy for about twenty-four hours, similar to the way it feels during allergy season. I was able to eat and drink normally with no trouble at all.
The video below shows what the procedure looks like. The patient is not anesthetized and was comfortable throughout the procedure. For more information on this revolutionary procedure visit our practice website at http://www.laserdentistbaltimore.com/new11/

Laser Cold Sore Treatment

Laser Cold Sore Treatment- This procedure takes less than two minutes and requires no anesthesia. Cold sores stop hurting right away and heal very fast. The same procedure is used to treat canker sores (i.e. aphthous ulcers) in the mouth.
More details at..http://www.laserdentistbaltimore.com/mouth-ulcer-and-cold-sore-laser-treatment/

Dual Wavelength Periodontal Laser Surgery

Traditional periodontal surgery is a tried and true technique for controlling advanced gum disease. Unfortunately, this type of procedure necessitates the use of scalpels, sutures, and periodontal packing and can be quite painful afterwards. Dual wavelength periodontal laser surgery treats gum disease effectively with far less postoperative discomfort and is scalpel and suture free. Though still considered surgery, it is a far less invasive procedure which yields faster recovery, less pain, and costs less than traditional techniques.


The "dual wavelength" technique uses two proven laser wavelength technologies that have been used for periodontal treatments for over twenty years: Er:YAG and Nd:YAG. Both wavelengths are safe and effective yet alone they have different advantages and disadvantages. By combining these two wavelengths patients receive the benefits of both lasers. We have been using this combined approach since 2008 and the results have been excellent.

Laser Periodontal Surgery	Traditional Periodontal Surgery
Two surgical appointments	Four surgical appointments
Scalpel free	Scalpel
No sutures	Sutures
Periodontal pack not needed	Periodontal pack sometimes placed
Minimal postop pain	Postop pain moderate or more
No return visit for suture/pack	Need return visits for suture/pack
removal	removal
Lower cost	Higher cost

For more in depth information visit the Baltimore Center for Laser Dentistry's website

Modern Materials and Digital Technology Make Crowns Better

The combination of modern porcelain with digital technology now allows us to provide strong, excellent fitting, and beautiful crowns.

Crowns are often needed when a tooth has been broken down due to decay or trauma, has had a root canal, or has a deep crack. This tried and true technique has been a part of dentistry for more than a century. Traditionally, crowns were made of gold alloy, all porcelain, or a combination of the two. Gold crowns have long been the “Gold Standard” as this technique allowed for excellent fit, very conservative removal of tooth structure (as little as a half a millimeter), and long lasting restorations. Modern esthetic expectations have made porcelain crowns more popular. Unfortunately, porcelain crowns demand much more aggressive tooth structure removal to make room for the porcelain; four times as much as gold crowns. Traditional porcelain crowns are also prone to fracture.

Modern technology has resulted in a solution that achieves the conservative durability gold with the beauty of porcelain. Solid zirconia porcelain crowns need minimal tooth structure removal and are virtually unbreakable. These hi-tech restorations are digitally designed and milled from a sold block of porcelain. At the Baltimore Center for Laser Dentistry we digitally scan the tooth being crowned resulting in a much more accurate impression than the traditional putty impression. This digital impression is emailed to the lab where the technician uses computers to design and make the crown.

Oral Appliances an Effective Alternative to CPAP for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a significant and underdiagnosed medical problem. It is estimated that only twenty percent of people with sleep apnea have been properly diagnosed. Obstructive  sleep apnea is when the airway in the throat closes down blocking airflow to the lungs. These episodes can last ten second or more and cause a cascade of damage to one's health. The lack of restful sleep and poor oxygen can result in sleepiness, lack of energy, and poor mood. Research has shown that many car accidents are caused by poor attentiveness or falling asleep while driving by apneic patients. The long term medical consequences of sleep apnea include high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, stroke,and obesity. Untreated apneas can lose a decade from their lifespan, or even more if they have an accident.

CPAP machines are very effective for treating sleep apnea. Unfortunately many patients do not tolerate these masks and give up on this vital treatment. An effective alternative is known as Oral Appliance Therapy. These custom made devices pull the lower jaw forward, much like the jaw lift in CPR. The tongue is pulled from the airway since it is attached to the lower jaw. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine oral appliances can be used as an equivalent to CPAP in mild to moderate apnea and also should be prescribed in severe cases where the patient has failed CPAP.

In our office we offer a simple overnight screening for sleep apnea. A wristwatch sized pulse oximeter records the patients breathing with a small finger probe during sleep. The data is evaluated for signs of obstructed breathing episodes. A referral to a sleep center or primary physician is made if the screening indicates a problem.

The EMA device is easy to wear and is adjustable using different length straps

The TAP3 Elite is comfortable and durable. The jaw position can be finitely adjusted in 1/4 millimeter increments.