Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Call Generations Dental For Sleep Apnea Treatment
Do you snore or have been told that you do?
Have you woken up during sleep?
Have you fallen asleep during the day, particularly when not busy?
Do you have difficulty breathing through your nose?
Have you been told that you stop breathing while asleep?
If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may be suffering from Sleep Apnea.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
There are three types of Sleep Apnea: Obstructive, Central and Mixed.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and closes during sleep.
- Central Sleep Apnea is when the airway is not blocked, but instead the brain fails to signal the muscles to breath.
- Mixed Sleep Apnea is a combination of the Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea.
People who suffer from Sleep Apnea routinely wake up throughout the night in order to resume breathing causing their sleep to be extremely fragmented and of poor quality.
Who is Affected by Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea affects more than 12 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health.
According to the Alegent Health Sleep Disorders Center, risk factors of Sleep Apnea include:
- Men typically over the age of 40.
- Certain shapes of the palate and jaw
- Large tonsils and adenoids in children
- Large neck or collar size
- Obesity
- Large tongue
- Narrow airway
- Nasal Obstruction
- Drinking alcohol or using sedatives before bed
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
According to the Alegent Health Sleep Disorders Center, there are many symptoms to look for when dealing with Sleep Apnea:
- Abnormal daytime sleepiness
- Awakening unrefreshed in the morning
- Possible depression
- Episodes of no breathing
- Lethargy
- Loud Snoring
- Memory Difficulties
- Morning headaches
- Personality changes
- Poor concentration
- Restless sleep
- Hyperactive behavior (esp. in children)
- Leg swelling (if severe)
Treatment
There are multiple treatments to help correct Sleep Apnea issues. Dental devices are just one of a few that can help maintain an open airway and move the jaw forward to prevent closure of the throat. Generations Dental uses oral devices to help improve sleeping and breathing issues.
These oral devices are custom made appliances worn during sleep to maintain the patency of the upper airway by increasing its dimensions and reducing collapsibility. Oral device patients have reported a 91% improvement in sleep quality.
Generations Dental can assist you with your Sleep Apnea treatment with an oral sleep apnea appliance.
To find out if a dental device is an option, please call and make an appointment for a consultation to discuss with us the process of developing a customized appliance for you.