How Your Dentist Can Help You Sleep Better

Struggling With Poor Sleep? Your Dentist May Have the Answer

Most people think sleep problems are a medical issue — but your mouth, tongue, jaw, and airway

play a HUGE role in how well you breathe at night. And if you’re not breathing well… you’re not

sleeping well.

At My Victoria Dentist, we use advanced tools like airway scans, myofunctional therapy, tongue-tie assessment, palatal expansion (including MARPE), and Invisalign to help patients improve not

just their teeth, but their breathing, posture, and sleep quality.

This article explains how your dentist can help you sleep better — and what signs to look for.

How Dentistry and Sleep Are Connected

Your mouth is the entrance to your airway. If anything restricts it, you may experience:

• Snoring

• Mouth breathing

• Teeth clenching or grinding

• Waking up tired

• Morning headaches

• Dry mouth

• Fatigue

• Poor concentration

These symptoms often start with oral and airway dysfunction, something dentists are uniquely

trained to spot.

Airway Scans: A Clear View of How You Breathe

One of the most powerful tools we use is an airway-focused CBCT scan.

This 3D imaging lets us see:

• The size and shape of your airway

• Whether your nasal passages are narrow

• If your tongue is blocking airflow

• How your jaw position affects breathing

• Areas of obstruction

If your airway is narrow or collapsing while you sleep, you’re likely not getting enough oxygen —

leading to poor-quality sleep.

👉 Airway scans often reveal hidden issues you can’t see during a routine exam.

Myofunctional Therapy for Tongue, Jaw & Breathing Problems

This therapy trains your tongue, lips, and facial muscles to work properly.

It helps patients who:

• Snore

• Grind teeth at night

• Mouth breathe

• Have a low tongue posture

• Experience fatigue

• Have trouble breathing through the nose

Myofunctional therapy can:

• Improve nasal breathing

• Strengthen oral muscles

• Reduce snoring

• Support better sleep quality

• Improve long-term orthodontic results

It’s like physical therapy — but for your tongue and airway.

Tongue-Tie Assessment & Release (Adults and Babies)

A tongue tie restricts the movement of the tongue. This can cause the tongue to rest low in the

mouth, fall backward during sleep, and block the airway.

In adults, a tongue tie may contribute to:

• Snoring

• Sleep apnea symptoms

• Teeth grinding

• Neck tension

• TMJ issues

A simple laser release can dramatically improve:

• Tongue mobility

• Nasal breathing

• Sleep quality

• Oral posture

For babies, a tongue-tie release can also improve feeding, breathing, and development.

Palatal Expansion & MARPE for Better Airflow

A narrow palate = a narrow nasal airway.

Palatal expansion helps:

• Improve nasal breathing

• Open the airway

• Reduce nighttime breathing issues

• Improve tongue posture

• Reduce snoring and sleep apnea symptoms

For adults with a fully fused palate, MARPE (Mini-Implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) 

can successfully widen the upper jaw to improve airflow.

It’s one of the most effective ways to create a healthier, bigger airway.

Invisalign for Better Jaw Position & Airway Support

Invisalign isn’t just cosmetic — it can improve breathing.

By realigning the teeth and jaws, Invisalign can:

• Improve tongue space

• Correct bite imbalances

• Reduce clenching

• Support nasal breathing

• Improve facial structure for airway health

A stable bite = a more open airway = better sleep.

Signs Your Sleep Problems Might Be Dental-Related

You may benefit from an airway-focused dental assessment if you:

• Wake up tired

• Snore

• Grind teeth

• Have morning headaches

• Sleep with your mouth open

• Have neck/shoulder tension

• Have difficulty breathing through your nose

• Feel exhausted even after 7–8 hours of sleep

Many patients have no idea their sleep problems start in the mouth.

Why Choose My Victoria Dentist?

At our Victoria clinic, we take a whole-airway approach, combining:

• Airway-focused dentistry

• Myofunctional therapy

• Tongue-tie assessment and release

• Orthodontics (including Invisalign)

• Palatal expansion / MARPE

• Advanced 3D imaging

We help patients breathe better, sleep better, and feel better.

Ready to Improve Your Sleep? We Can Help.

If you suspect your sleep issues might be related to your airway, tongue posture, or bite, our

team at My Victoria Dentist can assess your breathing, oral function, and overall airway

health. We offer airway scans, tongue-tie treatment, myofunctional therapy, Invisalign, and

palatal expansion

options for both adults and children.

To take the next step, contact us, we’re here to help you breathe better, sleep better, and feel better.