Who Can Benefit From a Dental Appliance for Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that affects about 25 million women and men in the United States. If you have sleep apnea, you stop breathing for seconds at a time, often multiple times an hour, while you sleep,
Sleep apnea deprives your body of fresh oxygen during the night. It negatively affects your health in many ways, including disrupting your good night’s rest.
The most common remedy for sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which forces air into your nose to keep your airway open as you sleep. But it’s not the only solution.
At California Dental Sleep Solutions, our expert dentist and sleep specialist, Jaclyn Martinez, DDS, can help your sleep apnea with a simple, customized oral appliance. She and our team diagnose and treat sleep apnea at our San Jose, California office to improve your quality of life.
How sleep apnea disrupts sleep and health
If you wake up in the night because you stop breathing, you’re likely to feel tired during the day. Your brain and other organs didn’t get the oxygen needed to repair themselves. You may feel groggy and unfocused throughout the day. You could also fall asleep at the wheel while driving.
Sleep apnea can also cause morning headaches and sore throats. Some people even find that sexual dysfunction issues in their lives are ultimately a result of sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea raises your risk for serious complications such as heart attack or stroke. Don’t dismiss just how much and how negatively sleep apnea can impact your life.
Dental appliances for sleep apnea
The passage between your mouth, nose, and lungs is known as your airway. In obstructive sleep apnea, the airway closes down due to a physical obstruction, such as a recessed jaw or overly large tongue, which can also cause snoring, a common symptom of sleep apnea.
An assistive oral appliance holds your jaw forward and keeps your tongue stable when you sleep. The oral appliance is customized to fit you, just as a night guard or sports mouth guard would be. It allows oxygen to flow freely into your lungs throughout the night without interruption or snoring.
Almost anyone with obstructive sleep apnea can benefit from an overnight dental appliance. Consider a sleep evaluation and a dental appliance if you often feel tired, snore loudly, or carry some extra pounds.
More than your sleep will improve
Your body needs a good night’s sleep to maintain overall health and wellness. We understand how important your sleep quality is to your quality of life. That’s why we carefully diagnose and treat our patients who suffer from sleep apnea.
If you suspect you have sleep apnea, we review your symptoms, ask questions about your lifestyle, and discuss your physical health history. We may also give you a take-home sleep study to be sure that obstructive sleep apnea is causing your issues.
Once you breathe without interruption during the night, every aspect of your life improves. You should have more energy, greater focus, and feel more alert. We also help you make other changes that benefit your sleep and health, including lifestyle adjustments that help you attain and maintain a healthy weight.
You deserve all the benefits of high-quality sleep. To get started with a diagnosis and treatment process for sleep apnea, schedule your appointment over the phone today, or request an appointment online.
