Oral Surgery for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder in which breathing repeatedly starts and stops and has the potential to be serious. There are several surgical procedures that aid in correcting this problem, such as Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), which we at Bridge Smiles Dental Group P.A. are proud to offer our patients. Stanford Health Care describes UPPP as a surgery that “consists of tissue rearrangement at the uvula, palate and throat walls in order to increase the airway size and decrease tissue collapse.”

 

UPPP is the most common surgical procedure for treating sleep apnea, though it is not always successful. A tracheostomy procedure may be performed next, where a breathing tube is placed lower in the windpipe. This tube is closed during the day to allow the patient to breathe and speak normally, but is opened during sleep to allow another passageway to breath should any blockages occur. 

 

Common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

 

- Loud snoring

- Moments during sleep when you stop breathing (usually reported by your partner)

- Gasping for air during sleep

- Waking with a dry mouth

- Morning headaches

- Insomnia

- Hypersomnia

- Difficulty concentrating

- Irritability

 

Bridge Smiles Dental Group P.A. has two locations for your convenience. Our first office is located on 820 US Hwy 202 North in Neshanic Station, NJ 08853. To make an appointment at this location, please call 908-782-4418. Our second office is located on 15 North Bridge St. in Somerville, NJ 08876. To make an appointment at this location, please call 908-725-0400. For more information, feel free to also visit our website at bridgesmilesdental.com.

 

Denture Stomatitis

Good oral hygiene is important for everybody, but people who wear dentures face some particular issues. We provide general dental care to a lot of people with prosthetic teeth at the Bridge Smiles Dental Group, and we want each of them to understand that cleaning their dentures is just as important as cleaning natural teeth. Today we’re talking about denture stomatitis, why it’s a problem, and what you can do about it.

Denture stomatitis is the name for a yeast infection related to oral appliances. Candida fungus is always present in the mouth, but normally it is kept under control by saliva and ordinary brushing and flossing. Saliva contains enzymes that break down fungus and helps to wash away yeast’s food source. But when a patient wears dentures that adhere to the roof of their mouth, the roof will not be exposed to as much saliva, and yeast will be able to colonize there. People who wear dentures that are misshapen or the wrong size are also at risk for chapping at the corners of their mouths, creating a home for pathogens.

An infection can be identified by the red bumps it creates, but the patient may not feel anything. They will have to do visual inspections on themselves. Dentures should be kept wet whenever they are not in use and need to be brushed daily. Wearers should also brush the inside of their mouths each morning before putting their dentures in.

Drs. Meghadri and Grewal run Bridge Smiles Dental Group at 820 US Hwy 202 North Neshanic Station, NJ, and 15 North Bridge St. Somerville, NJ. To schedule an appointment, visit Bridge Smiles Dental.