About AZ Sleep
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between 50 and 70 million people in the U.S. suffer from a sleep or wakefulness disorder, labeling insufficient sleep a public health issue. Sleep apnea, also referred to as sleep disordered breathing (SDB), carries with it serious health risks if left undiagnosed. Watch this video and learn more about sleep apnea.
Custom-designed sleep apnea devices
Because holistic dentistry is important to us at AZ Sleep, we have partnered with the medical community in the detection and treatment of the most common form of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Sleep apnea isn’t only a minor nighttime annoyance. Over 18 million people suffer from this condition. It can raise your risk for daytime fatigue and confusion, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
When your jaw is thrust forward repeatedly, it leaves very specific grind patterns in your teeth different than if your jaw is grinding from side to side. When you thrust your jaw forward, it is your nervous system’s attempt to get your tongue out of the back of your throat. This is a telltale sign that you may be suffering from sleep apnea!
When we see this pattern at AZ Sleep, we will alert you to this significant condition.
The very best treatments for obstructive sleep apnea are a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machine. These work excellently for many people. However, some people with OSA cannot tolerate these treatments, and become non-complaint with the CPAP or BiPAP treatment after a short honeymoon period.
When this happens, we can craft something worn inside your mouth to reduce sleep apnea issues. These sleep apnea devices pull your mandible into a forward position and keep the base of your tongue from blocking your airway. This helps you breathe more effectively and comfortably at night. These devices are durable medical equipment that are custom-made for each individual.
Holistic dentistry is our focus
The founder of AZ Sleep, Janne Lynch, DDS believes strongly that we must be concerned about the entire health and well-being of our patients. First and foremost, the mouth is a part of the body. It is our goal to keep the person healthy, not just the mouth.
At AZ Sleep we start from an allopathic base of knowledge and use the most current health knowledge and information to refine that base. To that end, we offer patients the care we want for ourselves, both as dentists and health-conscious individuals.
Part of that care includes cosmetic dentistry. AZ Sleep has multiple clinics in the Phoenix area. In Scottsdale we like to flash not only a healthy smile, but a beautiful one.
You can always trust that:
- Our dentists have had the most up-to-date training in cosmetic dentistry
- Our training is ongoing
- The AZ Sleep staff is skilled in helping you reach your cosmetic dentistry goals, whether that includes whitening treatments (tooth bleaching), orthodontics (braces), or porcelain veneers
Our approach at AZ Sleep
The basic thing that a dentist does is restore form and function to your teeth and mouth. At AZ Sleep, we are committed to using the most inert materials possible to restore your smile.
For example, everyone knows that dental amalgams contain mercury. A lesser-known fact is that the white composite material that dentists use to make tooth-colored fillings can also give off chemicals. The mouth is a wet environment, so the chemicals that come off of these composite materials are dissolved into your saliva. These are called eluents.
These eluents from composite materials can act like estrogen in the body. It is unknown at this time what their health effects are; however, we practice caution before introducing these eluents into your mouth. Worse, the larger the filling, the more estrogen-like eluent that comes off of it.
To avoid this effect, if you need a filling, we will offer you a dental inlay or onlay at AZ Sleep. A dental inlay or onlay is a piece of inert and non-reactive porcelain that can be cemented into your tooth like a puzzle piece. It is custom-made for your tooth at a lab by our exclusive ceramists. All dental cements will wash out over time, and chemicals will be put into your system. However, the cement we use has the fewest eluents possible. Plus, it is only microns thick, so a very tiny amount is used as compared to a composite filling.
If you need a crown, we will use a metal-free crown, a full porcelain crown, or a zirconia and porcelain crown. The cement used for a crown is also only microns thick. Through small practices like this, we reduce the impact of dental procedures for patients.
Committed to periodontal disease treatment
When we speak of holistic dentistry, we must also talk about periodontal disease. At AZ Sleep, we are committed to the most up-to-date and aggressive treatment of periodontal disease for our patients. The reason for this is two-fold.
First, periodontal disease is a progressive destruction of the bone that holds your teeth in your mouth.
The ultimate end of periodontal disease is your teeth getting loose and falling out. The bone around your teeth cannot be regained once it is lost. When you have periodontal disease, we will partner with you to stop this bone destruction and loss, so you can keep your teeth.
Second, periodontal disease has been linked to heart disease and sometimes miscarriage and stillbirth.
The bacteria that cause periodontal disease may migrate through your system, somehow participating in the process of heart disease. Those bacteria also are attracted to the placenta, and can end up hurting your unborn baby.
Whether you are pregnant or not, if you have periodontal disease you have bigger problems than losing all of your teeth. People all around the world live with dentures, but people cannot live without a heart.
We fight periodontal disease aggressively to cut down on the bacterial load that your body carries from this harmful bacteria. In doing that, we see better outcomes for heart disease patients, and babies of people who suffer from periodontal disease while pregnant. While we encourage everyone to floss, if you have periodontal disease, the health of your heart may depend on it.
AZ Sleep – Arizona’s Top Sleep Experts
Dr. Janne Lynch sees patients in all three locations and has been busy doing what she loves – helping people sleep better!
While talking to her patients we realized that many people just can’t make it to the dentist Monday-Thursday during business hours which are pretty typical hours for all the best dentists in town. In order to meet the demand of the community, Janne launched her second practice, AZ Sleep, which is open on the weekends! We are available by appointment every Saturday for those of you that have to work during the week but still want to look fabulous when showing off your beautiful smiles! We think the idea is going to catch on.
Find the help you need
If you’re ready to change your smile, it’s time to give us a call at AZ Sleep. We have multiple locations in the Phoenix area! You can either contact us by phone at 480-630-2188 or make an appointment by clicking the button below.