Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when your muscles relax during sleep. This allows the soft tissue to collapse and block the airway. As a result, sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing up to hundreds of times a night.
Have you experienced any of the following?
- Snoring
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Memory problems
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
These are all signs that you could be losing shut-eye to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be a potentially life threatening condition if left untreated. It can increase the risk for other serious health problems such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression and impotence.
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy is the traditional treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. It involves sleeping with a face mask connected to a constantly running machine. Although CPAP is effective, up to half of patients don’t stick with the treatment. Dentists can provide an alternate sleep solution with oral appliance therapy.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy is an effective, non-invasive treatment for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. It fits easily into your lifestyle. A dental oral appliance looks like a sports mouth guard. The oral appliance is worn only during sleep. It supports the jaw in a forward position. As a result, the appliance helps keep your upper airway open, preventing sleep apnea and snoring.
Once you have been diagnosed with OSA by a sleep physician, a dentist experienced in dental sleep medicine can make a custom-fitted oral appliance. This is done using impressions and models of your teeth. Oral appliance therapy is covered by many medical insurance plans. Patients like it because it’s comfortable, easy to wear, quiet, portable, convenient for travel and easy to clean.
Most importantly, treating snoring or sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy can help you feel like a new person. You will find that your symptoms, and your quality of life, can improve dramatically. Custom-fit oral appliances can improve your sleep, restore your alertness and revitalize your health.
Do you have concerns about snoring and sleep apnea? It may be time to make an appointment. If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, we can recommend a sleep physician to help get your treatment started. If you have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, we can fit you with an oral appliance. Our team at Whole Tree is ready to answer your questions about obstructive sleep apnea, dental sleep medicine and oral appliance therapy. Dr. Lisa Strickland is a Diplomate with the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and a Qualified Dentist with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.
