Breathe Easy, Sleep Soundly, and Live Healthy with Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea is a severe sleep disorder that causes brief but repeated stop-and-start breathing when sleeping. When left untreated, sleep apnea lowers your quality of life and puts you at risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and other systematic diseases.
Randolph Family Dental in Schertz, Texas, offers sleep apnea treatment to help you achieve better and more restful sleep. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, visit Dr. Fortuna Vardeman. We use simple yet effective oral appliance therapy to help you reclaim your health and sleep.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep-disordered breathing condition that causes temporary interruptions in breathing when sleeping. These disruptions can happen up to a hundred times a night, depriving your body of the necessary sleep and oxygen.
Several types of sleep apnea exist. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in which the upper airway closes during sleep. Risk factors for OSA include narrowed airways, obesity, and enlarged tonsils and adenoids.
What are the symptoms of OSA?
The most common symptom is chronic snoring, as air passes the closed airway. However, not all chronic snorers have sleep apnea, and conversely, you can have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) without snoring.
The other symptoms of OSA include:
- Daytime fatigue
- Irritability
- Mood changes
- Lack of sleep (insomnia)
- Poor concentration during the day
- Waking up with a dry throat
- Decreased sex drive
- Morning headaches
If you notice the above symptoms, schedule an appointment with a sleep apnea doctor for diagnosis. OSA isn’t a laughing matter. If left unaddressed, it causes severe health complications, including cardiovascular problems, stroke, diabetes, depression, and hypertension. Take action today, and stop sleep apnea by seeking treatment.
Sleep Apnea
Do you snore excessively? Do you suffer from daytime fatigue? Do you awake during the night with shortness of breath? You may suffer from a life-threatening sleep disorder known as sleep apnea. About 1 in every 15 Americans suffer from sleep apnea and it is a problem that many don’t even realize they might have. But what does this have to do with dentistry? Because sleep apnea is caused by an airway obstruction, the disorder can be treated through the mouth. The Thorton adjustable positioner or Tap appliance is one of the more popular ways to treat sleep apnea. When the jawbone yes lax, the tongue and soft tissue obstruct the airway. The tap appliance advances the jaw bone, allowing the air to flow freely and making sleep more restful throughout the night. If you think you might suffer from sleep apnea, talk to your dentist today about possible treatment options.
What are the treatment options for sleep apnea?
The most common treatment for sleep apnea is CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy. This treatment involves wearing a mask over your mouth and nose that blows air into your airway, stopping it from collapsing while sleeping. While CPAP therapy is effective, many patients stop the treatment halfway because of irritation, claustrophobia, noise, and other discomforts.
If you cannot tolerate CPAP therapy, Dr. Vardeman offers an alternative treatment option. Our office uses oral appliance therapy (OAT) as a simple and effective alternative to CPAP treatment. OAT uses a custom-fitted oral device to treat sleep apnea by depressing the tongue and pushing the lower jaw forward. This prevents the soft tissues from collapsing and keeps the airway open as you sleep.
What are the benefits of oral appliance therapy?
Treatment for sleep apnea does not necessarily require surgery or wearing headgear. OAT presents an effective treatment for mild to moderate OSA cases and offers the following benefits.
- Minimally invasive treatment
- Discreet treatment
- An oral device is easy to carry
- It doesn’t require electricity to operate
- Minimal side effects
- Comfortable treatment
- Better compliance
- Minimal maintenance
- Noiseless therapy
Do you need sleep apnea treatment?
We are committed to ensuring you achieve total wellness. So, if you are suffering from sleep apnea, don’t wait any longer to get the restful sleep you deserve—call (210) 658-9031 to schedule an appointment with Randolph Family Dental.
