Dentistry can be more than the examination and treatment of the teeth, gums, muscles, and joints. It can include a wellness approach to dental health and development versus only managing diseases. Dr. Mark Cruz of Dana Point not only understands this concept, but he leads in a movement with multiple doctors around the world to share research, knowledge, and theories about a total wellness approach. Dr. Cruz co-developed the “Multi-Disciplinary Airway Collaborative,” a platform to exchange information during real-time conversations. The discussions are recorded and available on Dr. Cruz’s website at https://www.airwaycollaborative.com/ In Episode 30, Dr. Cruz has a discussion … Read Full Article
When Dr. Mark A. Cruz talks about the importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach to airway problems, he speaks from the heart. He can relate to parents who become concerned when their children have trouble sleeping. He knows firsthand how it feels when the doctor prescribes a diagnosis that does not seem quite right. Dr. Cruz shared his personal experience with his peers during the first session of his Airway Focused Dentistry Mini-Residency this summer. About five years ago, Dr. Cruz’s son, Brendan, was a latent bedwetter. His wife would change the bed five to six times a week. Brendan … Read Full Article
Undiagnosed sleep apnea can lead to a host of medical problems, and eventually death. The low rate of diagnosis is not a shortcoming in one type of specialist, but of the medical community as a whole. Virtually every medical specialty is presented with, and often overlooks, signs of apnea, as explained by Dr. Bertrand De Silva during the Airway Focused Dentistry Mini-Residency sessions. The course was co-developed by Dana Point dentist, Dr. Mark A Cruz. Apnea is a multidisciplinary issue During his talk, Dr. De Silva gave some examples of the many specialists who see apnea-related conditions: Cardiologist – Pulmonary … Read Full Article
Dr. Mark A Cruz, renowned dentist of Dana Point, is the co-developer of an informative lecture series entitled “Airway Focused Dentistry Mini Residency.” In one of the sessions, Dr. Steven Y. Park discussed the association between stress and obstructive sleep apnea. The stress of struggling to breathe We tend to think of sleep as our time to escape the stresses of daily life. However, for individuals suffering from sleep disordered breathing, it can be one of the most significant contributors to chronic stress. Oxygen deprivation during sleep triggers adrenalin releaseSleep disordered breathing overstimulates the nervous systemThe effects of inadequate sleep, … Read Full Article
Dr. Steven Y. Park explained, during a session of Airway Focused Dentistry Mini Residency, how doctors often inadvertently contribute to obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Park described seven common procedures that increase your risk of obstructive sleep apnea and other forms of sleep disordered breathing: Nose job – Rhinoplasty, (nose job), is a common procedure that may be performed for medical or cosmetic reasons. In many cases, particularly cosmetic enhancements, the procedure narrows the nasal passage, resulting in chronic congestion. Jaw surgery – Cosmetic reductive jaw surgeries are popular, especially in South Korea. While patients may be happy with the aesthetic … Read Full Article
Dentist Dana Point Sleep Breathing Disorders: Visit Dr. Cruz in Dana point for treatment on Sleep disordered breathing If you aren’t an ENT or a dentist who specializes in treating sleep disorders, chances are that you’ve never heard of the supralaryngeal vocal tract (SVT). The SVT is a crucial part of modern human anatomy that includes the larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), nasal cavity, and oral cavity; areas in the cranium that allow humans to speak, but also contribute to sleep disordered breathing. The common anthropological belief is that during the Great Leap Forward in human evolution, over 50,000 years … Read Full Article
Dr. Mark Cruz of Dana Point co-developed the “Multi-Disciplinary Airway Collaborative” to provide a forum for doctors of various disciplines to share research and information about the human airway and facial development. The real-time conversations are recorded and available on Dr. Cruz’s website at video blog. In Episode 30, he invites Tess Graham, noted breathing physiologist and author, to preview her book, “Relief from Snoring and Sleep Apnoea.” According to the breathing physiologist, people eat more, weigh more, and breathe in more air than they did in the 1980s. On average, people are breathing enough air for two to three … Read Full Article
Dr. Mark Cruz of Dana Point joins doctors from around the world for a series of discussions in a “Multi-Disciplinary Airway Collaborative” he co-developed. The purpose of the forum is to create an ongoing conversation about the relationship between the structure and function of the human airway and facial development. Doctors from various disciplines, from dentistry to orthodontics, contribute research, knowledge, and theories to real-time recorded conversations available on Dr. Cruz’s website at https://www.airwaycollaborative.com/ In Episode 15, Dr. Cruz invites Dr. Keith Thornton of Dallas, Texas, to discuss the neuromuscular influences on obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Thornton, Diplomat of the … Read Full Article
Snoring may be an irritating and slightly embarrassing experience, particularly for the spouse or partner of the person who snores. While “sawing logs” might make a person the brunt of some jokes, snoring is really no laughing matter. Approximately 45 percent of the population snore. Of those, about one in three men, and one in five women, suffer from a condition called sleep apnea. Studies have concluded that people with sleep apnea have a 40 percent greater likelihood of dying earlier than their peers. That’s because sleep apnea is linked to several serious health concerns, such as: Heart disease People … Read Full Article
Dr. Mark A. Cruz is committed to taking a multi-disciplinary approach toward airway problems such as sleep disordered breathing. Dr. Cruz and his colleagues strive to improve the way dental health conditions related to the teeth, muscles, and the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) are addressed. Providing an approach to patients’ dental health that is grounded in global wellness is the goal of the course he co-developed with orthodontist Dr. Barry Raphael. The course is called Airway Focused Dentistry Mini-Residency. Together, Dr. Cruz and Dr. Raphael are educating doctors on the West and East coasts about the relationship between the structure and … Read Full Article
