Brunswick Forest was built around the idea of living well. Morning walks, golf, time with family, and the kind of deep, uninterrupted sleep that retirement is supposed to bring. For a lot of residents, though, that last part is easier said than done. Snoring has a way of turning a quiet bedroom into a nightly source of frustration, for the person doing it and especially for the person lying next to them.
What most people do not know is that their dentist may be able to help.
BlueWave Dentistry, Brunswick Forest’s only dental practice, recently added a Solea laser to its lineup of in-office technology. While most people associate the dentist with drills, X-rays, and the occasional uncomfortable impression tray, Solea opens the door to treatments that you may have not thought were possible. One of them might just change how well you sleep tonight.
“Snoring is something a lot of our patients mention almost in passing,” says Dr. Andy Gould. “They bring it up to their spouse, their doctor, maybe their friends. But it never occurs to them to mention it at the dentist. That is exactly what we want to change.”
The Solea laser can be used to perform a quick, comfortable procedure called Solea Sleep. Over time, the soft tissue at the top of the back of your mouth can relax, and when air passes over it during sleep, it vibrates. That vibration can create the sound of snoring.
The Solea Sleep treatment acts by tightening that tissue in (2) 30-minute painless sessions. It works by directing gentle energy at the soft palate and shrinking the collagen present in the palate and thus making the opening larger.. There are no incisions, no stitches, and no recovery time. Most patients say they do not feel anything during the procedure. Results typically last twelve to fifteen months, and the treatment can simply be repeated once a year to maintain them.
(Photos provided by Andy Gould, DDS)
“We see a lot of patients whose partners have been complaining about snoring for years,” says Dr. David Vurnakes. “When we tell them it can be addressed right here in about the time it takes to get a cleaning, they cannot believe it. Patients are walking out and sleeping better that same night.”
For patients with diagnosed sleep apnea, BlueWave also offers custom oral appliances made right in the office. These devices, worn during sleep, gently reposition the jaw to keep the airway open. They are a popular option for patients who have been prescribed a CPAP machine but find it difficult to use consistently. Our office offers a simple way to do a sleep test that is used to determine your level of snoring/apnea right in the comfort of your home through your medical insurance provider.
The Solea laser does not stop at sleep. For anyone who has avoided the dentist because of anxiety or “fear of the drill”, the technology offers something that once seemed impossible: fillings without drilling.
Solea uses a precise beam of laser energy to remove tooth decay without the vibration, pressure, or noise of a traditional drill. Patients do not even need to be numbed. They sit down, the work gets done, and they walk out without a numb cheek for the rest of the afternoon.
“I have patients who have not been to the dentist in ten or fifteen years because of fear,” says Dr. Chad Biggerstaff. “When I tell them we can take care of a cavity without a drill and without a shot, and then we actually do it, their whole relationship with dental care changes.”
Whether it is snoring that has gone unaddressed for too long or dental anxiety that has kept someone out of the chair, BlueWave Dentistry continues to find ways to make care more comfortable for the Brunswick Forest community.
New patients are always welcome. BlueWave Dentistry is located at 1300 S. Dickinson Drive in Leland and can be reached at (910) 383-2615.
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