Without treatment, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could mean serious trouble with our ability to rest and with our overall quality of life. But fortunately, we can offer relief with a custom and comfortable oral appliance. In today’s blog, your Olathe, KS, dentists talk about how we diagnose and treat sleep apnea.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
OSA is a disorder that impacts millions of people. Essentially, as you sleep the soft tissues in your throat and the back of your mouth become too relaxed and collapse, cutting off airflow. As air is forced through, this vibrates tissues and creates the loud snoring sound, a common symptom of OSA. But many times, you stop breathing completely until the brain wakes you. While you may not remember waking up, your sleep cycle is in fact interrupted hundreds of times in a night. As a result, you’re exhausted and develop symptoms like snoring, headaches, drowsiness, irritability, and trouble focusing on tasks at work or school. When you exhibit symptoms like these, please let us know right away!
The Complications of the Disorder
Without treatment, you could lose sleep and the pressure on your immune system from your exhaustion could make more frequent illness develop. In the long term, you could also have strain on your cardiovascular system, which increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and even stroke or heart attack. You also have trouble with your daily work and interactions, and this could cause issues with your overall quality of life. Factors behind the disorder include resting on your back, obesity, large neck circumference, excessive alcohol consumption, and issues in the oral structures. While people of all ages and genders could suffer from OSA, it particularly targets men 55 and older.
Treatment Options
Our team will help you rest with ease using an oral appliance. The device is created based on detailed digital images we take of your smile and oral structures. We combine these images to create a detailed digital impression, one we can use in a lab setting to design and craft the finished product. The oral appliance will be worn as you sleep and fits like a simple mouthguard. But the device moves the jaw forward to prevent the collapse of soft tissues. You then breathe without interruption and enjoy a good night’s rest!
If you have any questions, give us a call!
Do You Have Any Questions About Improving Your Sleep?
We would like to help you rest without complication! Schedule an appointment today and learn more about our solutions for OSA. You can also call E-Care Dentistry in Olathe, KS, today at 913-586-2718. Find our office at 15010 S Black Bob Road Olathe, KS 66062. We also proudly serve patients from Overland Park, Lenexa, and all surrounding communities.