The Sleep Therapy Center of North Florida

Dr. Alexander has opened The Sleep Therapy Center of North Florida where he treats patients who suffer from snoring and/or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Dr. Alexander can relieve symptoms of snoring and OSA with the aid of custom-made oral appliances such as snore guards, night guards and dental splints.

Snoring, Sleep Apnea and the Dentist

Many patients don’t realize the correlation between dentistry and sleep disorders. Dr. Alexander has special training to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy. These removable devices, worn at night, work to keep the airways open and allow the breath to flow freely. This results in the patient having a more restful sleep.

Snoring
Snoring is a sleep breathing disorder that produces a sound as a result of partial obstruction in the airway. When air passes over loose tissue, it causes a vibration that creates the snoring sound. Snoring not only disrupts normal sleep for both bed partners, but can lead to more serious conditions such as to obstructive sleep apnea which has been linked to heart failure, high blood pressure and stroke, as well as Type II Diabetes.

There are many things that you can do to prevent or lessen snoring, including:

  • Try sleeping on your side instead of your back. Sleeping on your back can make snoring worse.
  • Avoid alcohol and sedatives at bedtime, as they can relax the muscles in the throat, causing you to snore.
  • Maintain a healthy weight, people who are overweight or obese are more likely to snore.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Patients who suffer with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep because of a blockage of the airway, commonly caused when the soft tissue in the back of the mouth collapses. OSA disrupts the normal sleep pattern, even if the person isn’t fully awakened or aware that sleep apnea is occurring. Sleep apnea has a strong link to snoring, though a person with OSA may not always make a snoring sound.

Oral Appliance Thrapy
There are number of treatments for snoring and sleep apnea, the preferred method by Dr. Alexander is oral appliance therapy. Oral appliances are worn in the mouth during sleep to treat snoring and sleep apnea. Sometimes called snore guards, the oral appliance keep the airway open, allowing the breath to flow freely.

How Does an Oral Appliance work?
The oral appliance works in several ways:

  • Repositioning the lower jaw, tongue, soft palate or uvula
  • Stabilizing the lower jaw and tongue
  • Increasing the muscle tone of the tongue

If you are suffering from sleep apnea or snoring, contact the Sleep Therapy Center of North Florida to schedule your consultation with Dr. Alexander to evaluate which treatment methods are right for you.

You can now fill out the Sleep Therapy Patient Form online!
Please click here to begin the process.