Sleep Apnea in McDonough
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that causes a person to stop breathing during their sleep. Sleep apnea has many causes, and it can seem like a hopeless battle to find relief from the disorder’s symptoms if you are diagnosed. Getting a good night’s sleep is nearly impossible.
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which is caused by airway obstruction while sleeping. Doctors generally prescribe a sleep machine that forces the airway open, but many patients find these machines difficult to sleep with and don’t find much relief from their symptoms. What if there was an easier way to get a better night’s sleep, and what if that solution came from your local dentist? Palmetto Sleep is your local dentist and sleep specialist. When you come into the dental clinic, you can schedule an appointment with a dentist to discuss the nature of your sleep apnea and whether a specialized dental application may be able to solve some of your problems.
What Are Some Sleep Apnea Treatment Methods?
Fortunately, several effective non-surgical methods and CPAP alternatives can effectively treat this condition. Some of the most common methods include:
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy involves wearing a mask over your nose or mouth while sleeping. The mask is connected to a machine that delivers constant air pressure to keep your airway open.
- Auto-Adjusting Positive Airway Pressure therapy: With the ability to adjust the pressure on the fly, these machines are easier to use than CPAP machines. Automatically regulating the pressure throughout the night allows the user to sleep comfortably.
- Oral Appliance Therapy: This method involves using a custom-fitted oral appliance similar to a mouthguard to keep your airway open while you sleep. It is an effective treatment option for people with mild to moderate sleep apnea.
- Positional Therapy: This method involves training yourself to sleep in a certain position, such as on your side, to help keep your airway open.
- Lifestyle Changes: Making certain lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol before bed, can also effectively treat sleep apnea.
How Does The Dentist Treat Sleep Apnea?
Your dentist can help with obstructive sleep apnea by prescribing a specialized oral sleep therapy that holds the airway open during sleep or when resting so that airflow is improved. Breathing is kept at a normal level during the night.
In most cases, the oral sleep appliance used is a customized appliance that moves the jaw position forward to hold the airway open. This option is much less intrusive than sleep machines and is quite effective. When combined with lifestyle changes such as exercise and dieting, an oral sleep appliance can alleviate the vast majority of symptoms from sleep apnea. In some instances, patients even report eliminating their sleep apnea.
If you are suffering from sleep apnea and need relief, stop at our sleep clinic today and see if a specialized oral sleep therapy for sleep apnea can relieve and improve sleep.
Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnea
Oral Appliance Therapy is a non-invasive and effective treatment option for people with sleep apnea. This treatment involves using custom-fitted sleep apnea devices worn in the mouth during sleep to keep the airway open.
There are different types of oral appliances, including mandibular advancement devices and tongue-retaining devices. MAS devices are tailored to each patient. They fit over the teeth and keep your jaw in perfect alignment. By preventing the jaw from sliding backward, the MAS forces proper tongue placement in the mouth. This allows the airway to stay open throughout the night during a patient’s sleeping cycles. MAS helps to eliminate snoring while asleep.
Tongue retention devices are also used to push the tongue into proper alignment. Eliminating the symptoms of OSA can help offer patients a proper night’s sleep. This treatment option is highly effective for people with mild to moderate sleep apnea and those who cannot tolerate CPAP machines. Oral appliance therapy is easy to use, comfortable, and convenient, making it a popular choice among sleep apnea patients.
FAQs
Common symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring, daytime fatigue, morning headaches, and difficulty concentrating. A sleep study performed by specialists is the most common way to diagnose sleep apnea.
Several sleep apnea treatments without CPAP include positional therapy, oral appliance therapy, and lifestyle changes.
Sleep apnea can affect a person's quality of life by causing daytime fatigue, irritability, health issues, and decreased productivity. We offer sleep apnea therapy if you want sleep apnea treatment near you. Contact us today.
Oral Appliance Therapy can be a highly effective therapy for snoring and sleep apnea and is a common alternative to CPAP therapy. A specially designed and adjustable, customized oral appliance repositions the jaw and tongue during sleep, creating support for the airway that tends to collapse during sleep.
Generally, 2-3 weeks. Once a decision is made at your first visit to proceed with oral appliance therapy, 3D imaging (impressions), will be taken and the appliance insertion visit will be scheduled.
Yes! Most medical insurance plans cover oral sleep appliance therapy. However, insurance benefits for oral appliances may vary depending on the individual policy you have. The most efficient way to determine your potential benefits is to call our office and speak with our patient coordinator. It is important to know that this treatment is considered a medical procedure and will not be covered by dental insurance. Our goal, as always, is to maximize your benefits available and to minimize your out-of-pocket expense.