You may not associate the treatment of sleep apnea with going to the dentist. However, specialized dentists are trained in sleep apnea treatments; our Dentists at Johnson Family Dental are trained in Sleep Apnea. Good sleep is imperative to our quality of life and overall health. If you are having trouble sleeping or are experiencing difficulty breathing while asleep, you may have sleep apnea. Contact Johnson Family Dental to schedule a free consultation with one of your sleep apnea dentists.
Snoring is often a precursor to something more serious called Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Snoring and OSA are similar respiratory disorders.
Snoring occurs when the air you breathe vibrates the tissues of the airway due to a blocked or narrowed airway.
OSA occurs when your breathing regularly stops or is slowed for 10 seconds or longer due to blocked or narrowed airways.
Airway blockage may be caused by excess tissue in the throat or nasal passages, large tonsils, a large tongue and something the structure of the jaw itself.
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Snoring is often a precursor to something more serious called Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Snoring and OSA are similar respiratory disorders.
Snoring occurs when the air you breathe vibrates the tissues of the airway due to a blocked or narrowed airway.
OSA occurs when your breathing regularly stops or is slowed for 10 seconds or longer due to blocked or narrowed airways.
Airway blockage may be caused by excess tissue in the throat or nasal passages, large tonsils, a large tongue and something the structure of the jaw itself.
Book A Free Consult
Why is Obstructive Sleep Apnea a serious problem?
Your body is being robbed of the rest it needs to function properly during the day when you are constantly awoken throughout the night.Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
- Excessive Daytime Sloppiness
- Feeling exhausted after a normal night of sleep
- Headaches
- Depression
- Frequent episodes of obstructed breathing during sleep
- Snoring, gasps, choking or gurgling sound
- Bruxism (tooth grinding)
Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea
- Overweight/obese
- Small mouth, jaw and throat
- Receding jaw
- Large tongue
- Short, thick neck
- Swollen legs
- High blood pressure
Treatment options
In addition to lifestyle changes such as a good sleep hygiene, exercise and weight loss, there are three primary ways to treat snoring and OSA:- CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)
- Surgery
- Oral Appliance Therapy
The Moses Oral Appliance is indicated for:
Patients with primary snoring or mild to moderate OSA who do not respond to behavioral measures such as weight loss or sleep position change.Patients with moderate to severe OSA who are intolerant of or refuse treatment with nasal CPAP.
Oral appliances are also indicated for patients who refuse treatment or are not candidates for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, craniofacial operations or tracheotomy.
