Sleep Soundly With Our Effective Treatment
If you suffer from sleep apnea and have been prescribed a CPAP machine to combat your symptoms, you may notice various drawbacks. CPAP machines are noisy, bulky, and inconvenient to travel with. Fortunately, there’s an effective CPAP alternative that may benefit you and your sleep apnea case.
At Grundy Center Family & Implant Dentistry, Dr. Weaver has a solution for you if you suffer from sleep apnea and are tired of using CPAP: oral appliance therapy. Read on to learn more about sleep apnea and what oral appliance therapy can do to help you.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that interferes with your ability to breathe during the night. This condition occurs when the soft tissue of the palate relaxes in the back of your throat, blocking the airway and interrupting airflow. It deprives your body and brain of oxygen, causing you to wake up repeatedly throughout the night, interrupting your quality of sleep.
Signs & Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness are among the most common symptoms of sleep apnea; others include:
- Daytime headaches
- Irritability and mood swings
- Loud or frequent snoring
- Low energy and lack of motivation
- Recent weight gain
- Low libido
- Waking up with a sore or dry throat
- Frequent urination at night
If you struggle with one or more of these symptoms, call your medical doctor to see if you may be affected by sleep apnea. Then, once properly diagnosed, call our Grundy Center office at (319) 824-6948 to see if oral appliance therapy is right for you.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy is an alternative to a CPAP machine that can help achieve relief from sleep apnea symptoms. This treatment is a customized, removable appliance designed to prevent your airway from collapsing by repositioning the jaw in a forward position, allowing you to sleep however you like.
Benefits of Oral Appliances
Aside from potentially eliminating the need to use a CPAP, and greatly reducing snoring, benefits of oral appliance therapy include:
- Comfortable and easy to wear
- Small and easy to travel with
- Customized to fit your mouth
- A reversible and non-invasive treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Finding the root cause of sleep apnea can be difficult as there are several factors that contribute to sleep disorders. These factors include:
- Genetics
- Neck circumference
- Age
- Obesity
- Narrowed airway
- Use of alcohol, sedatives, or tranquilizers
Sleep Apnea is not something to be self-diagnosed or assumed. Please consult with your medical doctor in order to obtain a sleep study and a proper diagnosis.
If sleep apnea is left untreated, it can lead to serious health issues, including:
- Heart disease
- Strokes
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Liver problem
It’s crucial to seek professional help by undergoing a sleep study conducted by a sleep specialist. Once you receive your diagnosis, it’s important to find an effective treatment to help alleviate your symptoms. At our Grundy Center office, our dentist, Dr. Weaver, does not diagnosis sleep apnea, but certainly can provide you with a customized oral appliance so you can get the quality sleep you deserve.
If you have any questions about sleep apnea and our treatment options, call our Grundy Center, IA dental office at (319) 824-6948 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Weaver.
A sleep study is an overnight test conducted by a sleep specialist to diagnose your symptoms. The study will track your brain wave pattern, oxygen level, heart rate, snoring, etc. After receiving your diagnosis, schedule your appointment with Dr. Weaver and he’ll determine if oral appliance therapy is best for you.