Sleep Apnea Treatment

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder where breathing starts and stops repeatedly and is potentially very serious if not treated. Patients with sleep apnea often snore very loudly and still feel tired even after a full night of sleep. Seeking general dental treatment for sleep apnea is imperative to prevent it from worsening or leading to other complications.

There are three main types of sleep apnea:

• Obstructive – when throat muscles relax
• Central – when your brain is not sending signals to the muscles for breath control
• Complex – when there is a combination of the two types

For mild cases of sleep apnea, lifestyle changes can typically help reduce symptoms. Losing weight, quitting the use of tobacco products or treating allergies can help significantly in battling sleep apnea. However, cases that are more severe can benefit from a consultation with your dentist.

There are several airway pressure devices that help you breathe better during sleep. Often, a mask is placed over your nose while you sleep that forces in a gentle amount of air to keep your airway passages open. Doing so prevents the opportunity for them to close, which causes you to stop breathing while you sleep.

Relief from Snoring and Teeth Grinding

Side effects of sleep apnea often manifest themselves through snoring and teeth grinding. When exploring the option of airway pressure devices, they not only ensure you are breathing while sleeping, but they also help to alleviate the side effects. The mask forces air into the airway passages to eliminate snoring while teeth grinding is essentially halted as a result. If you’re suffering from sleep apnea, make an appointment by contacting Arbor Dental, and we can assess your condition for the best treatment plan to suit your needs.