Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to poor health and exhaustion. Fortunately, we can offer treatment options that are nonintrusive and don’t require a CPAP machine. In today’s blog, your Woodland Hills, CA, dentist talks about how we treat sleep apnea with an oral appliance.
The Factors Behind Sleep Apnea
OSA means that when you sleep, airflow is cut off by the collapse of soft tissues in the back of the mouth and in the throat. This means you stop breathing until the brain is alerted to the drop in oxygen. Even if you have no recollection of it, this could interrupt your sleep cycle hundreds of timers in a single night. Common factors include large neck circumference, obesity, sinus and allergy complications, deviated septum, and resting on your back. Excessive alcohol consumption, vigorous experiences, and large meals in the two hours before bed could problematic as well. While all genders and ages are susceptible, this mainly impacts men 55 and older.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms could include chronic snoring, headaches, irritability, daytime drowsiness, trouble staying focused, dry mouth, and waking up in the night choking or gasping for air. If you experience one or more of these potential warning signs you should let us know right away. Our team can perform a diagnosis to see if you need treatment. Otherwise, the issue could grow in severity until it impacts your quality of life, straining your immune system, and even putting stress on your heart health. In severe situations, you could become sicker more often, or develop high blood pressure and heart disease, as well as a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
Oral Appliance Therapy
We have a treatment option that is comfortable, simple to use, and doesn’t require wearing a cumbersome and loud CPAP mask. To begin, we will take detailed digital images of your mouth from multiple angles, and then combine them to create a detailed 3D computer model. This is then used to help us design and custom-fit an oral appliance. The device will look and fit like a mouthguard, and is worn as you sleep at night. The device moves the jaw forward to prevent the collapse of soft tissues, so you can breathe without interruption the entire night. No loud machines, just a simple and comfortable mouthguard custom-made for your smile.
If you have any questions about diagnosing and treating an issue like sleep apnea, then contact our team today.
Talk to Your Woodland Hills, CA Dentist About Treating OSA
Our team is ready to help treat the issues that can stand between you and the rest you need. If you would like to learn more about getting a good night’s rest, then contact your Woodland Hills, CA dentist, Dr. Naminik, by calling 818-347-5124.