Poor sleep could lead to issues resting and impact your overall quality of life. Which is why when you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), we want to offer relief with an oral appliance. In today’s blog, your Astoria, NY, dentist talks about how we treat sleep apnea.
The Causes of OSA
With OSA, you actually stop breathing at night due to airflow being cut off by the collapse of soft tissues. The brain will wake you to resume breathing, but this still interrupts your sleep cycle, often hundreds of times a night. You may not remember this happening, but it can lead to major issues with your waking life. Causes vary, and could include sinus and allergy issues, deviated septum, large neck circumference, obesity, and poor sleep habits, like excessive alcohol, caffeine, and large meals right before bed. As part of your treatment, we will assess the cause of your sleep issues.
The Signs of Trouble
How do you know if you need to seek treatment for an issue like OSA? Common warning signs include chronic snoring, waking suddenly gasping for air or choking, dry mouth, headaches, irritability, and daytime drowsiness. If one or more of these potential symptoms applies to your life, then let us know right away. We can conduct a diagnosis and find out if you need treatment with a noninvasive and comfortable oral appliance!
Long-Term Trouble
You should seek treatment because the disorder could lead to daytime drowsiness and trouble concentrating at work or school. OSA also strains the immune system, so more frequent illness is possible. In addition, the strain on your cardiovascular system could boost the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
Oral Appliance Therapy
To begin, our team will take detailed digital images of your smile from multiple angles. We combine them to create a 3D impression, so we can design an oral appliance with precision and accuracy. The device will look and fit like a mouthguard, and is worn at night as you sleep. This helps shift the jaw forward to prevent the collapse of soft tissues, so you can breathe without interruption. Remember, now is a good time to seek treatment as you can use your remaining 2022 dental benefits before they expire in December! If you have any questions about treating sleep apnea, then contact our team today to learn more.
Do You Have Questions About Improving How You Rest?
We would like to help you avoid the complications of poor sleep! If you would like to learn more about how our will help you rest easier, then schedule a consultation by calling Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
