Do you or your companion experience excessive snoring or daytime sleepiness?
You or your companion may have a breathing disorder known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
What is Snoring?
Snoring is a sign of a breathing problem. It occurs when the jaw opens and the tongue falls into the back of the throat, causing the airway to narrow and forcing air through the smaller opening. This creates sound vibrations in the throat known as snoring. Snoring can seriously affect your quality of life. Snoring can be embarrassing and inconvenient, and can cause problems in relationships. In some cases, snoring is a red flag for a more serious medical problem called
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
OSA occurs when the muscles and tissue surrounding the throat relax causing the airway to completely collapse and block airflow into the lungs. This blockage cuts off the oxygen supply to the body and brain. The airway obstruction persists until the brain partially awakens the person. The repeating cycle – falling asleep, muscles relaxing, airway collapsing, unconsciously awakening with a gasp – prevents a restful night of sleep. The lack of oxygen puts extra stress on the entire body, especially the heart. Sleep apnea is a serious chronic disease that may trigger other serious health problems:
- Chronic Sleepiness
- Heart Attack
- High Blood Pressure
- Stroke
- Heartburn
- Morning Headaches
- Depression
- Sexual Dysfunction
Treatment Option
Dr. Nation recommends an appliance that advances and stabilizes the lower jaw preventing the soft tissues of the throat and tongue from collapsing into the airway, which causes snoring and sleep apnea. The hardware allows the patient to control the treatment position with incremental advancements as needed.
Research has shown that dental appliances are quite effective for treating OSA and can now be considered as an alternative to other treatments. Dental appliances are inexpensive compared to other treatments, they are non-surgical, they are easy to make, and they are well-accepted by patients. If you would like more information about how we can help treat OSA, please call us today at 502-244-6886.
