Sleep Apnea Specialist

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a chronic medical condition that affects the sleeping patterns of an estimated 30 million adults in the United States. When you have sleep apnea, the muscles and other soft tissues of your tongue and mouth relax to the point of blocking your airway. It can cause you to stop breathing -- for a few seconds to more than a minute -- and may awaken you numerous times throughout the night.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

Only your physician can diagnose you with sleep apnea. Evaluations typically include sleep studies done at home or overnight at specially-designed facilities that can monitor your sleeping patterns throughout the night. However, typical symptoms that may signal sleep apnea include:

• Snoring
• Gasping and choking during sleep
• Pauses in breathing during sleep that are obvious to your partner
• Brief awakenings throughout the night
• Daytime sleepiness and fatigue

Sleep apnea is more common in men but affects women as well. Excess body weight, a narrow airway, and misalignment of your jaw can increase your risks of having sleep apnea.

Why is it important to treat sleep apnea?

In addition to disturbing your sleep and causing excessive drowsiness the next day, untreated sleep apnea has also been linked to:

• Morning headaches
• Memory loss
• Erectile dysfunction
• Digestive issues, such as acid reflux
• Other serious health conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and diabetes
• Depression

How can a dentist treat sleep apnea?

Traditional therapies for sleep apnea include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or different types of surgical procedures that offer varying rates of success. Many patients find it difficult to deal with the noise and cumbersome nature of a CPAP machine and don’t want to take the risks associated with a surgery that may or may not help.

Fortunately, sleep apnea often responds very well to oral appliance therapy used by the experts at Creative Dimensions in Dentistry. The oral appliance is similar to a sports mouthguard and is worn while you sleep. The device works by supporting your jaw in a slightly-forward position that helps maintain an unobstructed airway during sleep. It can successfully reduce or even eliminate your nighttime apneic episodes.

Provided your physician agrees via a prescription, your dentist can fit you with an oral appliance that’s comfortable and easy to wear throughout the night.