Dental Sleep Medicine
Dental sleep medicine is a field where dentists use custom oral appliances, such as mouthguards, to help treat sleep disorders like sleep apnea and snoring. These devices improve airflow during sleep, promoting better rest and overall health.
Night Guards
Unconscious grinding of the teeth during sleep, known as bruxism, can cause damage to your teeth and jaw. If you find yourself grinding your teeth most nights, we can fit you with a custom night guard to provide a protective barrier between your teeth, helping to prevent wear, enamel damage, gum irritation, and jaw pain.
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Dr. Neal will customize your night guard for optimal comfort and effectiveness. During your visit, we will also discuss additional strategies to reduce or eliminate night grinding, such as avoiding chewing gum, alcohol, and caffeine, which can increase the likelihood of grinding. Our goal is to help protect your oral health and improve your quality of sleep.
Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy (also known as orofacial myofunctional therapy or OMT) involves exercises to strengthen and retrain the muscles in your mouth and face, promoting proper movement and resting positions. Dr. Neal collaborates with local specialists and refers patients to experienced providers when necessary, ensuring comprehensive care for orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs), which can impact breathing, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Existing studies indicate that OMT is a safe, effective, and risk-free approach to improving oral function and overall health.
AADSM Mastery Program
The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) is the only non-profit national organization dedicated solely to the practice of dental sleep medicine, representing dentists who treat sleep-disordered breathing, including Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and snoring, with Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT). When left untreated, OSA can significantly increase the risk of serious health issues such as high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and depression; however, OAT offers an effective, non-invasive treatment option using a custom-fitted mouthguard worn during sleep to keep the airway open.
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Dr. Neal is currently participating in the Mastery program in dental sleep medicine, which provides comprehensive, on-demand education to help clinicians effectively treat snoring and sleep apnea. The program emphasizes all aspects of oral appliance therapy, including screening, appliance fabrication, managing side effects, navigating insurance, and building referral networks, to support the integration of sleep medicine into clinical practice. Dentists trained in dental sleep medicine collaborate closely with physicians, especially after a diagnosis of snoring or OSA by a sleep specialist, to provide personalized treatment with oral appliances. These devices are carefully designed and adjusted to ensure a proper fit and maximum effectiveness, helping to improve sleep quality and overall health.
The program offers a robust foundation lead by practitioner-experts, leading to the prestigious AADSM Qualified Dentist designation upon completion, followed by advanced training which prepares participants for certification with the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. Dr. Neal is committed to expanding his expertise to provide the highest standard of care in dental sleep medicine for Greater Kalamazoo.