Dental Treatment Solutions for Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea treatments address this potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.
Sleep apnea treatments address this potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.
Sleep apnea affects about 22 million Americans every night, robbing them of much-needed rest and mental and physical health. For people needing a sleep solution, one can be found at a place they might not expect—Forest City Dental!
If you have sleep apnea, it means that you periodically stop breathing while asleep. Your brain then sends a signal to rouse you in order to restart your breathing. This can happen dozens or even hundreds of times each night.
Many people with sleep apnea aren’t aware that their night-time breathing is being disrupted so often; they only know that they feel exhausted on a daily basis. Usually, a sleep partner is the one to alert them to their loud snoring and cessation of breath. Sleep apnea affects an estimated 22 million people in the United States, and it’s believed that the majority of moderate to severe cases go undiagnosed.
Complications from sleep apnea include fatigue, irritability, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood sugar levels, issues with medications and surgeries, liver complications, type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes.
There are three types of sleep apnea:
You may not notice your first symptoms of sleep apnea. Instead, your sleep partner may make you aware of them. The most common symptoms are:
Factors that increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea include:
Factors that increase the risk of central sleep apnea include:
If you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea, you’ll likely be prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This breathing machine consists of a face mask with an attached hose that leads to a power device placed near your bedside. The CPAP uses humidified air to maintain positive pressure in your airway to prevent it from becoming blocked by your soft tissues.
Many patients find CPAP masks to be uncomfortable and the machines to be cumbersome. The machines are also noisy, which can make sleep difficult for both partners. Some patients also suffer from side effects of CPAP usage, such as stomach bloating and distension, nasal passage dryness, bleeding, and congestion. The difficulty of using a CPAP may lead some patients to stop using the machine.
As an alternative, your dentist can custom fit you for an oral appliance — very similar to a mouthguard — which gently repositions your oral structures as you sleep to keep your airway open. This unobtrusive, cost-effective alternative prevents sleep apnea, allowing you — and your sleep partner — to get a good night’s sleep every night.
For patients that have performed a sleep study and they are mild to moderate (AHI 5-30), an oral appliance is just as effective as a CPAP machine. For those patients who are severe (AHI >30), a CPAP is the treatment of choice.
If you suspect you’ve been experiencing sleep apnea symptoms — or you’ve decided that your CPAP machine might not be the right treatment option for you — call us today to schedule a consultation. Your dentist will conduct a thorough evaluation, explain the pros and cons of oral appliance therapy, and help you make an informed decision for your health.