Snoring and Sleep Apnea – Understanding and Treatment
What is Sleep Apnea?
Have you been suffering from mysterious headaches? Are you tired in the middle of the day for no reason at all? Are your loved ones complaining that you’re especially irritable or moody? Amazingly, the root of all these problems may be your snoring. Unfortunately, snoring may be a sign of more serious health problems.
Sleep is increasingly recognized as a biological function necessary for optimal daytime functioning. Snoring – besides being bothersome to your bedmate – is a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition causes you to stop breathing while you sleep, often hundreds or thousands of times per night. This halt in breathing occurs when your tongue, throat, and jaw muscles relax, blocking your airway. The body reacts with a momentary spike in blood pressure, and because these jagged halts in breathing can occur frequently, the effects are truly dangerous.
Health Risks of Sleep Apnea
Insufficient or poor sleep quality has been linked to:
- Heart attacks
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Strokes
- Depression
- Driving accidents
- Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD)
- Other chronic health problems
- Premature death
Studies reveal that sleep apnea raises the risk of death by an alarming 46%. Approximately 87 million Americans snore, and over 40 million of those suffer from chronic sleep disorders. However, only 10% of sleep disorders are diagnosed. Fortunately, dentists like Dr. Whitten are now trained to recognize and treat sleep disorders.
Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends oral appliances as a primary treatment for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Patients should always be offered the choice of an
oral appliance if they have mild to moderate OSA.
- or Mild to Moderate OSA: Oral appliances (OAs) are indicated for use in patients who prefer OAs to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), or who do not respond to CPAP, are not appropriate candidates for CPAP, or fail treatment attempts with CPAP or behavioral measures like weight loss or sleep position change.
- For Moderate to Severe OSA: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is recommended. If patients have tried and failed CPAP, they should be offered treatment with an oral appliance.
Our Treatment Approach
Our treatments include the latest in FDA-approved oral appliance therapy (OAT), also known as mandibular advancement devices (MAD), to keep the airway unobstructed during sleep. We are highly trained in fitting and maintaining a variety of oral devices to reposition the mandible, retain the tongue below the airway, and provide positive airway space to limit apnea episodes and related loss of sleep.
Before fabricating an oral appliance, our office makes it a priority to work with board-certified sleep physicians and other appropriate health professionals to reach a proper diagnosis. We have collaborated with area sleep professionals to offer sleep screenings, when prescribed by a physician.
Insurance and Coverage
Many health insurance plans reimburse for OAT and related services and therapies. Our office will work with patients to assist in any coverage benefits that may apply to their treatment. We will work closely with you and your physician to provide the best treatment options.