Sleep Apnea
Snore? Visit Ridgeline Family Dentistry
Sleeping disorders don’t just affect your lifestyle and energy level, they can also affect your overall health. Problems like sleep apnea significantly raise your risk of cardiovascular incidents such as heart attack and stroke. Fortunately, we can help you screen for a sleep disorder and potentially save your life.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
OSA is a sleeping disorder that occurs when your airway is blocked, preventing oxygen flow. In many cases, it’s caused by a collapse of soft tissues at the back of the throat, sealing off air. Some of the symptoms and warning signs include
- Snoring
- Large neck circumference
- Flat, worn teeth
- Large tonsils
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure
Does your sleep partner complain of you snoring or gasping for air at night? If you wake frequently or feel tired as soon as you get up in the morning, it may benefit you to have a sleep study to diagnose the cause of your problem.
How a Dentist Can Help
Most sleeping disorders are treated with a CPAP machine. This piece of equipment forces oxygen through your airway while you sleep. Unfortunately, it’s also noisy and cumbersome, making it difficult to travel with or share the room with another person.
Thankfully, there’s a more discreet alternative for those that suffer from mild to moderate sleep apnea: an oral sleep appliance.
Sleep dentistry uses a customised oral device to position your lower jaw in a way that helps prevent blockage of your upper airway. You wear it like a mouthguard, so no electric or bulky equipment is involved. Most people find dental sleep appliances to be easy to adjust to and effective enough that they notice a difference as soon as the first night of use. Some people are able to use the device instead of a CPAP machine.
“What Do I Need to Get Started?”
Schedule a consultation with our family dentist. During your sleep apnea screening, we’ll discuss our findings and if testing is needed. In most cases, a home sleep study is adequate. A doctor who specializes in sleep medicine will read the results and prescribe an oral appliance based on the type of sleeping disorder that you have.
To fit the device, we’ll take an impression of your teeth. About two weeks later, the mouthpiece is ready. It fits over your upper and lower teeth, adjusting the way your mouth rests while you’re sleeping.
Get a Better Nights’ Rest
Do you snore? Schedule a sleep apnea evaluation to find out how an oral appliance can help!
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