Sleep Apnea Treatment

It is estimated that millions adults suffer from snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), making them two of the most common sleep disorders. Patients with OSA repeatedly stop breathing throughout the night, reducing oxygen flow to internal organs and causing the patient to awaken with a loud snore as breathing is restored. There are many risks associated with OSA that you may not realize including but not limited to:

High blood pressure. If you already have it, sleep apnea can make it worse. When you wake up often during the night, your body gets stressed. That makes your hormone systems go into overdrive, which boosts your blood pressure levels. Also, the level of oxygen in your blood drops when you can’t breathe well, which may add to the problem.
Heart disease. People with OSA are more likely to have heart attacks. The causes may be low oxygen or the stress of waking up often. Strokes and atrial fibrillation -- a fast, fluttering heartbeat -- are also linked with the condition. Sleep apnea disrupts how your body takes in oxygen, which makes it hard for your brain to control how blood flows in your arteries and the brain itself.
Type 2 diabetes. Although studies haven’t shown a cause-and-effect link between sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes, not getting enough shut-eye can keep your body from using insulin properly, which leads to diabetes.
Weight gain. Extra pounds raise your chances of getting sleep apnea, and the condition also makes it harder to slim down.
Lack of focus, bad mood, mental clarity. When you feel groggy, you raise your risk of falling asleep at the wheel or in front of a computer at work. This can be dangerous and also frustrating for people always feeling tired.

Diagnosing a sleep-related breathing disorder such as OSA typically involves the dentist as well as the patient’s physician and/or other specialists. Diagnostic imaging such as x-rays, CT scan may be done to examine the airway and look for signs of blockage. A sleep study may be performed, either at home or at a specialist’s office, to evaluate the quality of sleep.

Treatment for Snoring & Sleep Apnea

Loving Dentistry offers oral appliance therapy known as a mandibular advancement splint. It is a device worn in the mouth and is used to treat orofacial disorders including: snoring, obstructive sleep disorders and some TMJ issues. Although many patients are unaware of their snoring, many experience daytime symptoms related to the disorder as mentioned above. There are many variations of a MAS. We, at Loving Dentistry, exclusively use the Moses® appliance as it is one of the more effective and un-intrusive systems on the market, more info can be found at: http://www.themoses.com/how-it-works/