Snoring can be extremely annoying, especially if your bed partner does it loudly every single night. Not getting enough quality sleep could signal a serious sleep apnea issue for everyone. At Derby Dental, Dr. Meghan Kilkelly provides custom night guards to prevent snoring by keeping your airway open. You only have to wear them at night while you sleep.
This reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, dementia, and other conditions associated with untreated sleep apnea. If you’re ready to get the quality, snore-free rest you deserve, call our dentists today for sleep apnea therapy. Our office also provides restorative dentistry treatments for patients in Austin, Texas.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which a person has short but frequent cessations in breathing throughout the night. When these episodes occur, the body enters “panic mode” and partially wakes up to resume normal breathing. These disturbances are often so short that a patient doesn’t realize ever having them.
The disturbances also prevents them from reaching the deep, restful stages of sleep. That’s why patients with sleep apnea don’t get enough rest, even when they sleep for seven to eight hours.
Often, sleep apnea occurs when tissues in the mouth and throat collapse and block the airway. Air rushing past these tissues causes them to vibrate, which produces the snoring sound. The common signs and symptoms of this sleep disorder include:
- Loud and chronic snoring
- Episodes of temporary breathing pauses during sleep
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Restless sleep
- Waking up with a sore throat or dry mouth
- Morning headaches
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Difficulty concentrating
- A combination of irritability and fatigue
- Depression or mood swings
- High blood pressure
Not all individuals with sleep apnea will exhibit all these symptoms, and some may experience different symptoms altogether. Seek medical attention if you suspect you may have obstructive sleep apnea. We have treatment options available to help improve the quality of your sleep and overall health.
Common Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
To begin any treatment, your primary physician must first conduct a sleep study. The sleep study will determine if you have the disorder and how much it’s affecting your health. If it’s a mild case, they may recommend lifestyle changes like weight loss. Avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and sedatives before bedtime can help reduce the severity of sleep apnea symptoms.
Additionally, maintaining a regular sleep schedule and practicing good sleep hygiene may also be helpful. However, in more advanced cases, the physician may recommend Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. CPAP involves wearing a mask over your nose and mouth while sleeping. The machine will push a steady stream of air in and out to keep your airway open.
In severe cases of sleep apnea, a doctor may recommend surgery. Oral surgery can remove excess tissue from your throat, reposition your jaw, or insert upper airway implants. Surgery can also help in cases where obesity is a contributing factor.
Our dentists provide mandibular advancement devices and oral appliances. You will wear these devices while you sleep to keep your airway open. The devices will reposition your jaw or tongue, and move your jaw forward to keep the airway open during sleep.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Fortunately, Dr. Kilkelly can treat mild to moderate snoring and sleep apnea without invasive surgery. She makes custom oral appliances that comfortably fit over your teeth at night. This device gently shifts your lower jaw forward to keep your airway clear and prevent lapses in breathing. The result is an improved quality of rest for you and your partner!
Oral appliance therapy is great for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea. Some patients complain about the inconvenience of a CPAP machine, especially while traveling. However, oral appliance therapy is compact and easy to use. You won’t have to worry about wires or tubes getting in the way.
An oral appliance device can easily fit into your luggage for ease when traveling. The device is similar to a custom mouthguard, but a smaller and cushioned device that sits between your teeth. As a result, it can help put your jaw in the correct position. Contact us today by calling 512-862-1463 to discuss your obstructive sleep apnea treatment options in Austin, TX.