A sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could impact your overall health and leave you feeling exhausted during the day. Fortunately, your Astoria, NY, dentist could provide treatment for this disorder without a CPAP machine, instead bringing relief with a custom and comfortable oral appliance.
Diagnosing Your Sleep Disorder
What warning signs should you be aware of? Well, you should contact our team if you experience chronic snoring, daytime drowsiness, moodiness, trouble waking up, dry mouth, waking suddenly gasping for air or choking, and headaches. Trouble concentrating could also be a factor too! We will diagnose the factors behind your sleep troubles and find out if you need care for OSA. The disorder itself occurs when you stop breathing for brief periods at night. These episodes of breathing cessation occur when soft tissues in the throat and back of the mouth collapse as you rest, cutting off airflow until the brain wakes you. While you may not remember waking up each time, this could still interrupt your sleep cycle!
The Impact of Sleep Apnea
Over time, this could have a major impact on your daily life. Aside from feeling exhausted, this could strain your immune system so more frequent illness is a possibility. If untreated, the disorder could place strain on your cardiovascular system too. These could increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and even heart attack. In addition to seeing us for treatment, try to make positive changes to your resting routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily, rest on your side instead of back. If you’re obese, try to lose weight with diet and exercise, and seek treatment for sinus or allergy issues. Be sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and screen-free if possible!
Treatment with a Custom Device
To bring relief, we can often offer treatment without the use of a CPAP machine or the need for oral surgery. Instead, we will take detailed images and impressions of your smile with digital scanning technology. This information enables us to design and craft an oral appliance in a lab setting. The completed device will fit much like a mouthguard. When in place as you sleep, the appliance then repositions the jaw by moving it forward, limiting the chances for the collapse of soft tissues. You then breathe without interruption and rest with ease again!
If you have any questions, then contact our team today.
Do You Have Questions About Treating OSA?
Improving how you sleep could help you enjoy a better quality of life and feel more alert. To learn more about bringing relief to people suffering from OSA, then schedule a consultation by calling Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
