Obstructive Sleep Apnea May Be Treated By Your Dentist - Ask About Oral Orthotic Therapy
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that involves cessation of or significant decrease in airflow in the presence of breathing.
OSA is characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep.
When the tongue and soft palate collapse onto the back of the throat, the upper airways are blocked, which stops the airflow in the nose and mouth.
When the oxygen level drops low enough, the brain moves out of deep sleep and the individual partially awakens.
The airway then opens causing the obstruction in the throat to clear.
The flow of air starts again, usually with a loud gasp.
The scenario may occur many times during the night and the apnea episodes last between 10-30 seconds, sometimes even longer.
Sleep apnea is a deceiving sleep disorder - 90% of the people who have sleep apnea don't know that they have it! Although episodes of choking or gasping for air might occur hundreds of times throughout the night, you may not have any recollection of struggling for breath.
Usually is the bed partner who first notices that the person is struggling to breathe.
If left untreated, this common disorder can be life-threatening.
Warning signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include: • Frequent silences during sleep due to breaks in breathing (apnea) • Choking or gasping during sleep to get air into the lungs • Loud Snoring • Sudden awakenings to restart breathing or waking up in sweat • Daytime sleepiness and not feeling refreshed by a night's sleep, including falling asleep at inappropriate times.
OSA is a very important diagnosis to consider because its strong association with and potential cause of many debilitating medical conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, insulin-resistant diabetes, depression, and sleepiness-related accidents.
Loud Snoring Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening condition.
While snoring is caused by narrow airways, sleep apnea is a true breathing obstruction, which requires the sleeper to awaken to begin breathing again.
A person with sleep apnea wakes up many times a night to regain breathing, but usually remembers nothing at all about the awakenings.
Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, but snoring by itself does not involve the cessation of breathing.
Snoring can get in the way of a good night's sleep and a healthy relationship with your spouse or partner.
Many couples affected by snoring resort to sleeping in separate bedrooms in order to get a good night's sleep.
This arrangement may help both people sleep better, but it can disrupt communication and intimacy.
The most typical health problem snoring causes is loss of sleep for both the person snoring and his (or her) sleep partner.
The snoring noise combined with tossing and turning, often keep both people from sleeping soundly.
Sleep deprivation has significant consequences: excessive sleepiness, irritability, lack of productivity during the day, as well as negative health repercussions.
Finding a cure for your snoring problem can result in an improved quality of life for you and your loved ones.
Treatment As we mentioned Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a serious medical condition and snoring can be a sign of OSA and untreated can be a major cause of OSA.
Diagnosis is based on the results of an overnight sleep study called a Polysomnogram (PSG).
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) for the treatment of moderate to severe sleep apnea.
However, if the patients tried and failed CPAP they should be offered treatment with an oral appliance.
Oral appliances that treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are small plastic devices that are worn in the mouth, similar to orthodontic retainers or sports mouth guards.
These appliances help prevent the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat, keeping the airway open during sleep and promoting adequate air intake.
Oral appliance therapy is indicated for: • Patients with primary snoring or mild OSA who do not respond to, or are not appropriate candidates for treatment with behavioral measures such as weight loss or sleep-position change.
• Patients with moderate to severe OSA, who are intolerant of or refuse treatment with nasal CPAP.
Oral appliances are also indicated for patients who refuse, or are not candidates for surgery.
At Enchanted Smiles in Topeka, KS, our treatment includes the latest in FDA-approved oral orthotic therapy, also known as mandibular advancement devices (MAD), to keep the tongue below the airway and provide positive airway space to limit apnea episodes and their related loss of sleep.
If you are interested in knowing your risk for sleep disorders or how an MAD can improve your life please contact our office for a sleep consultation.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that involves cessation of or significant decrease in airflow in the presence of breathing.
OSA is characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep.
When the tongue and soft palate collapse onto the back of the throat, the upper airways are blocked, which stops the airflow in the nose and mouth.
When the oxygen level drops low enough, the brain moves out of deep sleep and the individual partially awakens.
The airway then opens causing the obstruction in the throat to clear.
The flow of air starts again, usually with a loud gasp.
The scenario may occur many times during the night and the apnea episodes last between 10-30 seconds, sometimes even longer.
Sleep apnea is a deceiving sleep disorder - 90% of the people who have sleep apnea don't know that they have it! Although episodes of choking or gasping for air might occur hundreds of times throughout the night, you may not have any recollection of struggling for breath.
Usually is the bed partner who first notices that the person is struggling to breathe.
If left untreated, this common disorder can be life-threatening.
Warning signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include: • Frequent silences during sleep due to breaks in breathing (apnea) • Choking or gasping during sleep to get air into the lungs • Loud Snoring • Sudden awakenings to restart breathing or waking up in sweat • Daytime sleepiness and not feeling refreshed by a night's sleep, including falling asleep at inappropriate times.
OSA is a very important diagnosis to consider because its strong association with and potential cause of many debilitating medical conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, insulin-resistant diabetes, depression, and sleepiness-related accidents.
Loud Snoring Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially life-threatening condition.
While snoring is caused by narrow airways, sleep apnea is a true breathing obstruction, which requires the sleeper to awaken to begin breathing again.
A person with sleep apnea wakes up many times a night to regain breathing, but usually remembers nothing at all about the awakenings.
Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, but snoring by itself does not involve the cessation of breathing.
Snoring can get in the way of a good night's sleep and a healthy relationship with your spouse or partner.
Many couples affected by snoring resort to sleeping in separate bedrooms in order to get a good night's sleep.
This arrangement may help both people sleep better, but it can disrupt communication and intimacy.
The most typical health problem snoring causes is loss of sleep for both the person snoring and his (or her) sleep partner.
The snoring noise combined with tossing and turning, often keep both people from sleeping soundly.
Sleep deprivation has significant consequences: excessive sleepiness, irritability, lack of productivity during the day, as well as negative health repercussions.
Finding a cure for your snoring problem can result in an improved quality of life for you and your loved ones.
Treatment As we mentioned Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a serious medical condition and snoring can be a sign of OSA and untreated can be a major cause of OSA.
Diagnosis is based on the results of an overnight sleep study called a Polysomnogram (PSG).
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) for the treatment of moderate to severe sleep apnea.
However, if the patients tried and failed CPAP they should be offered treatment with an oral appliance.
Oral appliances that treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are small plastic devices that are worn in the mouth, similar to orthodontic retainers or sports mouth guards.
These appliances help prevent the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues in the back of the throat, keeping the airway open during sleep and promoting adequate air intake.
Oral appliance therapy is indicated for: • Patients with primary snoring or mild OSA who do not respond to, or are not appropriate candidates for treatment with behavioral measures such as weight loss or sleep-position change.
• Patients with moderate to severe OSA, who are intolerant of or refuse treatment with nasal CPAP.
Oral appliances are also indicated for patients who refuse, or are not candidates for surgery.
At Enchanted Smiles in Topeka, KS, our treatment includes the latest in FDA-approved oral orthotic therapy, also known as mandibular advancement devices (MAD), to keep the tongue below the airway and provide positive airway space to limit apnea episodes and their related loss of sleep.
If you are interested in knowing your risk for sleep disorders or how an MAD can improve your life please contact our office for a sleep consultation.