Snore Guards


Wearing Snore Guards

Sleep apnea is more than just loud snoring. This common sleep disorder can be deadly, causing you to stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night.

Sleep apnea can cause a range of problems for sufferers. Interrupted sleep can result in inattentiveness and distraction, slow reaction times, and daytime sleepiness. Sufferers often do not know they have the condition but will feel as though they have not had enough sleep no matter how early they went to bed. Moodiness, irritability, and memory problems can damage professional and personal relationships. It can even cause stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, and weight gain. And, since it causes you to stop breathing repeatedly, it can even cause death.

Treatment of sleep apnea has advanced over the past two decades. One of the best-known treatment options is the use of a CPAP machine that holds the airway open to ensure that air can flow properly throughout the night. These machines are noisy and uncomfortable, and isolate the user from their partner at night. Over 80% of people who try a CPAP machine give up on it, putting their lives on the line for the sake of quiet and comfort. In some cases, a surgical solution can be explored. However, for most patients, removing enlarged tonsils is not enough to solve the problem.

Dr. Paige Woods offers a comfortable, affordable, and safe alternative treatment: customized oral appliances. With oral appliances, there is no noise, no mask, and no need for surgical intervention. Resembling a retainer, these appliances fit into the mouth to hold the airway open without noise or discomfort. An oral appliance can be fabricated especially to fit your mouth, tailored to your bite to ensure a perfect fit and customized relief of your condition. You can choose the color and style, and decide whether a model that pushes the jaw forward or holds the tongue in place is best for you.


More than 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, a condition that interferes with a restful night's sleep and can cause a wide variety of symptoms that can affect your quality of life. At Brighton Dental San Diego, we offer the latest in sleep apnea treatment options to help patients in San Diego enjoy healthier, more restful sleep and a life free of sleep apnea symptoms.


If you suffer from sleep apnea, you stop breathing for several seconds at a time throughout the night. This occurs while you sleep, so you usually have no idea.. Even if you sleep beside someone, it is not always obvious that you have stopped breathing, as the episodes are so brief.


The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your throat relaxes abnormally during the night. When the muscles of the throat relax, they cover up the windpipe, blocking the flow of air. When this occurs, your brain shifts into a panic mode, rousing you enough that your throat tenses again and breathing resumes.


A sleep apnea doctor like Dr. Paige Woods can help you determine if you suffer from the condition. By wearing a device called a pulse-ox meter while you sleep, changes in your breathing patterns can be detected. In some cases, you may need the assistance of a medical doctor who specializes in sleep disorders to help diagnose your condition. Dr. Woods works with a top sleep apnea physician in the San Diego area who can provide assistance as needed. Some of the symptoms of sleep apnea include chronic sleepiness during the day, very loud snoring, waking up with a dry mouth, chronic sore throats, headaches in the mornings and difficulty concentrating throughout the day.


The lack of oxygen caused by sleep apnea can have a profoundly detrimental effect upon your body, making sleep apnea treatment important for protecting your health. Untreated, sleep apnea can raise your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and liver problems.  


There are two main ways of treating sleep apnea. The first is with a comfortable sleep apnea mouthpiece or sleep apnea mouth guard, which helps to keep the airways open throughout the night. The second is with a CPAP machine, a mechanical device that uses air pressure to maintain the flow of air in the windpipe. These machines are noisy and require you to wear a mask. As a result, a sleep apnea mouthpiece is usually the preferred treatment for the condition.

There are a variety of sleep apnea mouth guard options available to help you breathe more easily throughout the night. Dr. Levinson will take the time to fully understand your symptoms and will take the shape of your jaws and mouth into consideration, selecting the best mouth guard to meet your needs and give you the best chances of successful sleep apnea treatment.