How We Can Help With Sleep Apnea

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FEELING A BIT TIRED at times during the day is completely normal, even with a good night’s sleep. Some people, however, struggle every night for a restful sleep, especially those with sleep apnea.

Did you know that one in five adults has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with 80 percent of cases going undiagnosed? This condition can disrupt your sleep and increase your risk of severe health problems.


What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs when your muscles relax during sleep, allowing soft tissue to collapse and block the airway. This can cause a person to stop breathing hundreds of times per night, immensely disrupting their sleep. Here are some indications of a problem:

• Morning headaches
• Excessive daytime drowsiness
• Irritability
• Impaired mental or emotional functioning
• Insomnia
• Excessive snoring, choking or gasping during sleep
• Waking with dry mouth or sore throat

We Can Help

Dentists are often the first professionals to become aware of a potential case of OSA and many are specially trained for the treatment of sleep apnea. We are just such a practice!

While the most common treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, oral appliance therapy that dentists provide is the increasingly preferred form of treatment. This is due to the high rejection rate of CPAP therapy and the fact that oral appliances are much more convenient, portable, and easy to care for.

Oral Appliance Therapy

Oral appliance therapy uses a mouth guard-like device to maintain an open, unobstructed airway while you sleep. They are typically as easy to wear as most retainers. There are two ways the oral appliance works to open up your airway:

1. By repositioning your lower jaw, it keeps your throat muscles engaged as you sleep, preventing them from collapsing.
2. Oral appliances can also move your tongue forward, keeping it from falling back and blocking the throat.

Our Process 

If you are concerned about your sleeping patterns, mention it to Dr. Peck at your next visit. After assessing your concerns, he can send you home with a Pulse Oximeter to be worn while you sleep. This will record your sleeping patterns for Dr. Peck to evaluate. After evaluation and additional health information, Dr. Peck will determine whether or not to refer you to a sleep medicine doctor. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea by a sleep medicine practitioner, a oral sleep appliance made by Dr. Peck is a course of action you have the option to take. 

Don’t Ignore Sleep Apnea

Never underestimate the power of a good night’s rest! The quality of your sleep is extremely important to your overall health and well-being. Ask us today how you can better your life by treating sleep apnea through oral appliance therapy!