Sleep Apnea Dentist

How Can A Sleep Apnea Dentist Help?

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that has affected many across the world. In many cases, it goes undiagnosed for long periods of time because most people do not realize they suffer from it. It is frequently identified by someone else who witnesses it while an individual is asleep. Once it is discovered, it is very wise to seek treatment for it because it can pose a severe health risk. There are a few different treatment alternatives available, such as positive airway pressure devices that involve wearing masks while sleeping as well as certain forms of medication that help promote respiration during sleep. However, a relatively new treatment with growing popularity is one that a sleep apnea dentist, or a dentist specializing in sleep disorders, can help with.

Most sleep apnea patients suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is caused by the breathing muscles relaxing too much and blocking the air passage while an individual is sleeping. For this reason, in many cases, a sleep apnea dentist will prescribe Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) as a way to treat sleep apnea. This method of treatment is easy and painless and it is seen as a positive alternative to the clunky and awkward masks and tubes associated with positive airway pressure (PAP) devices. This treatment simply involves the user wearing a specialized mouthpiece when they sleep. These specialized mouthpieces work by shifting the lower jaw forward, which in turn forces the airway open.

If given a choice, both the patient and the sleep apnea dentist prefer the Oral appliance therapy as an alternative treatment to the large and clunky devices used in the positive airway pressure device. Patients find that it is much easier to use as well as much more comfortable. He downfall to this treatment method is that it is generally only successful for individuals suffering from mild to moderate levels of obstructive sleep apnea. For patients suffering from more serious cases, these mouthpieces may have very little, if any, effect on alleviating their sleep apnea therefore other treatment methods would have to be considered.

Why Should You See A Sleep Apnea Dentist?

In order to understand the importance of seeing a sleep apnea dentist, one must also have a grasp of the negative effects associated with sleep apnea. An individual can suffer from permanent damage in extreme cases and besides the obvious potential danger associated with a lapse in breathing, it can also cause some very serious health problems. For instance, studies have proven that sleep apnea puts an individual at higher risk for a stroke or heart attack, up to 30% higher than an individual without sleep apnea. This is due to the fact many people who suffer from sleep apnea also suffer from high blood pressure. Other symptoms such as heavy snoring and loss of restful, calm sleep have also been associated with this sleeping disorder.

It is clear that sleep apnea is not a fun condition to suffer from, and it can be dangerous for some individuals. For those suffering from this sleep disorder, it is highly recommended to seek out potential treatments from a qualified sleep dentist. A sleep apnea dentist can help by properly diagnosing the disorder and prescribing the right method of treatment based on individual sleep apnea causes.