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Improved self-confidence. Aesthetic appeal. Better health. A career boost.

Without a doubt, a beautiful smile can help you unlock limitless potential in your life. But not everyone is blessed with a set of nicely aligned, pearl white teeth. 

If you’re one of these people, don’t despair. There are many dental procedures that can help you get a beautiful smile. 

But before deciding on any dental cosmetic procedure, it’s important to know what’s involved, the benefits, the costs, and even possible side effects. You also need to know the expertise of your dentist and whether you’ll need special dental routine care after the procedure. 

Here are 3 treatments that’ll offer you a beautiful, long-lasting smile: 

1. Porcelain veneers 

Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin, medically treated shells attached to cover the front part of the patient’s teeth. They’re usually custom-made for each tooth and look exactly like your natural teeth. They’re perfect for people with severely stained teeth, cracked teeth, uneven bites, tooth decay, and chipped teeth. 

When professionally installed, veneers can last for 10 to 15 years. During this period, you may need to visit your dentist for a few cosmetic repairs occasionally. This longevity makes veneers one of the most popular and cost-effective cosmetic dental procedures. 

Since getting veneers may involve removing part of the enamel, you may experience a little discomfort. However, anesthetic is usually administered before the procedure. 

2. Invisible braces 

Invisible braces are clear, removable aligners that gradually straighten misaligned and crooked teeth. They don’t have any wires, brackets, or any other restrictions that come with metal braces; making them more comfortable to wear. 

Once your orthodontist decides on a correct bite for you, they’ll create several versions of clear aligners that’ll make slight adjustments to your teeth over the treatment period.  While the treatment may take up to 24 months, you’ll have a beautiful smile for the rest of your life. 

For best results, it’s recommended to floss daily and brush after meals. 

3. Teeth whitening 

Teeth whitening is another popular and affordable treatment for discolored teeth. The procedure uses whitening products such as carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide that break down stains into smaller pieces, leaving your teeth whiter. 

In just one appointment (which takes about 2 hours), your teeth will be three to eight shades brighter. You may experience a little teeth sensitivity after the procedure. But this should die down after a few days. 

After the appointment, it’s recommended to stay clear of colored beverages and foods such as red white, berries, soy sauce, tea, and coffee. You should also consider quitting cigarettes. With proper care, the whitened teeth can last for several years. 

Get a beautiful smile today 

The dental cosmetic procedures above will not only improve the form of your teeth, but will also restore your personality which may have been lost due to crooked and misaligned teeth. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get a cosmetic dental procedure today!

Snoring occurs when there is an obstruction in your airway during sleep. 

The American Dental Association explains that this obstruction can be caused by the tongue or soft tissues in the mouth. 

When tissues in the top of the airway hit each other, the vibration that results creates a loud noise.

The loud noise may occur with short pauses in between. This could be an indicator of sleep apnea. 

When a patient has obstructive sleep apnea, breathing actually stops for brief moments, and this process can result in damaging effects on the body, such as atherosclerosis and other serious cardiovascular problems. 

Sleep apnea and the tendency to snore at night can also be the cause of daytime sleepiness and daily fatigue.

Does Snoring Indicate Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) All The Time?

While snoring may be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, other reasons may also cause it, including pregnancy, allergies, congestion, obesity, or even the use of alcohol.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

• Snoring during sleep
• Difficulty concentrating
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Morning headache
• Restless sleep
• Sore throat
• Waking up from choking or gasping
• Night chest pain
• High blood pressure
• Loud snoring that disturbs your partner’s sleep

How Your Dentist Can Help

If you or your spouse notice a consistent problem at night, mention it to your dentist. Be prepared to explain the pattern of noise that you notice and also episodes of daytime sleep or fatigue.

There are several tests that your dental professional can arrange to keep you safe at night. One of these tests is called a polysomnogram, or sleep study. 

During the evaluation, experts analyze your sleeping patterns and your vital signs are monitored over the course of a night.

One of the most efficient ways of treating the loud snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea is the use of an oral appliance. 

This plastic oral device helps to keep your breathing passages open as you sleep.

The other commonly known treatment for more severe cases is the use of the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure device). 

This is a mask connected to a tube that gently blows pressurized air through your airways to keep your throat open as you sleep.

Oral Appliance Therapy

This is an excellent way of treating mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea to help improve your daytime alertness, emotional stability, and concentration.

Oral appliances are highly recommended for people whose obstructive sleep apnea is as a result of a narrow airway or a tongue that falls back into the airway at night, obstructing their breathing.

This device efficiently repositions your jaws and stabilizes your tongue, thereby enlarging the airway and preventing tongue obstruction to promote proper airflow during sleep.

Other than prescribing oral devices, your dentist may recommend other strategies to reduce your snoring at night such as:

• Losing weight
• Consuming little or no alcohol at night
• Avoiding sleeping on your back
• Eliminating or reducing the use of sedatives

There are many options for sleep apnea treatment at Pacific Dental Care in Glendale. Dr. Martirosyan and her staff will be happy to assist you.

What are the General Causes of Snoring?

Snoring can be caused by a variety of different factors and understanding how these affect you and how to stop them will help you and your partner get better, uninterrupted sleep.

What is Snoring?

Snoring is the rumbling sound that is made while you sleep, caused by your airways having restricted airflow. The air now has a narrower passage to flow through, and this causes the tissues in your nose and throat to vibrate and emit noise.

Snoring is very common, and a study by The National Center for Biotechnology Information found that as many as 44% of men and 28% of women snore on a regular basis. That’s a huge number!

Understanding the factors that cause snoring can help you prevent this from happening every night and can allow you to get more restful sleep on a regular basis.

What Causes Snoring?

Obstruction of Airways

The obstruction of airways is by far the most common cause of snoring. As seen in cases of sleep apnea, this involves your airways being physically blocked, often from the muscles in your neck and throat relaxing when you fall asleep. If you are overweight or have excess fat and tissue around your neck, this can push up against your air passages and cause you to snore.

While this is completely natural and happens frequently, one way to reduce this is to do some exercises to help strengthen your neck muscles and potentially reduce the amount of tissue that can put pressure on your passageways.

Another thing to avoid is alcohol, drugs, and sleeping pills. These can all increase muscle relaxation further, and while they may help you fall asleep will actually cause more pressure on your airways and lead to more snoring.

Nasal and Throat Irritants

Nasal and throat irritation is another factor that can cause snoring. When these airways get irritated, they can become inflamed and, like physical blockage, causes the passageways to be narrowed. If you find that you snore more often during allergy season, this could be the cause of your snoring. Other environmental factors like poor air quality can cause this as well, but this can most likely be combated with allergy medication or by staying indoors.

Smokers increase their risk of snoring, as the smoke physically irritates your airways each time you take a puff. Giving up smoking has many health benefits, and reducing your likelihood is one of them.

Irritation can also be caused by dehydration. If you are not drinking enough water, the natural lubricants in your body are less effective. This can lead to dryness and irritation in your throat, causing you to snore more than usual.

Other Medical Issues

Other physical medical issues like a deviated septum, inflamed tonsils, or a large than average uvula can cause snoring and are much harder to combat. These issues all cause additional blockages in your airways, causing you to snore when you sleep.

Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea require also are direct causes of snoring, but fixing these issues will require consultation with a medical professional.