Lesser known treatments from the dentist in Mackay
What do you think of when you think of treatments that are available from Walkerston Dental in Walkerston, your dentist in Mackay? Do you think of check-ups, fillings, root canals, dental implants, crowns and such like? That’s not surprising, these are the treatments that make up the backbone of dentistry in Australia. But there are other treatments that we offer that are related to dentistry because the problem is to do with your mouth.
Your jawbone plays a vital role in your dental health
Dentistry is not just about teeth, it’s also about the rest of your mouth, such as your gums and jawbone because your teeth are housed inside them. So anything that affects your jawbone and your gums will at some point also affect your teeth.
Snoring and sleep apnoea
You may think you need to see your doctor if you are snorerr or suffer from sleep apnoea but the cause may be to do with your jawbone. Both snoring and sleep apnoea, which is when your oxygen supply gets cut off during sleep and you stop breathing temporarily, may be caused by the soft tissues at the back of your throat collapsing inwards and blocking your airways. With snoring, you get that characteristic sound of the snore. With sleep apnoea, you actually stop breathing before waking with a gasp or loud snore. Sleep apnoea can interrupt your sleep all night, making you drowsy during the day.
We can treat mild to moderate cases with a device that brings your lower jaw forward to open up your airways.
Grinding your teeth at night
If you have neck and shoulder pain, or suffer from headaches, or your jaw feels tight you could be grinding your teeth at night. It’s entirely possible that you don’t know you are doing it, but bruxism can lead to all sorts of problems including your teeth wearing out and crumbling away. We supply devices that protect your teeth from night time grinding, putting a cushion between your upper and lower teeth to reduce wear and tear.
To find out more about lesser known services at your dentist in Mackay, ask us when you next come in.
