Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder. A person with sleep apnea will stop breathing while they sleep and leads to a lack of oxygen in the brain and the rest of the body. This lack of oxygen causes the brain to wake up the body to breathe before allowing it to go back to sleep. Most will not remember this the next morning, but it can happen hundreds of times a night and prevent one from ever reaching deep, restful sleep.
There are two kinds of sleep apnea:
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of the two and is caused by the airway being blocked. This usually happens when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses while sleeping.
Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain failing to signal the muscles to breathe.
Symptoms may include chronic snoring, fatigue, depression, headaches, insomnia, forgetfulness, diminished sex drive, dry throat, high blood pressure, forgetfulness, irritability, sleep-deprived partners, heart failure, arrhythmia, or drowsy driving.
Sleep apnea may be caused by several things such as smaller airways, being overweight, an overbite, smoking, alcohol, allergies, and family history.
Custom made oral appliances help keep the airway open all night long, allowing the body to get a full night’s rest. They fit like sports or orthodontic retainers and are much more convenient and comfortable than a traditional CPAP. Oral appliances are ideal for anyone with mild to moderate sleep disorders. Moderate to severe sleep disorders usually require a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) that is much bulkier than oral appliances.
Sleep studies have traditionally been done in sleep study centers, but in recent years, accurate home sleep studies have been developed. Patients receive the home study kit in our office, take it home, wear it while they sleep, and bring it back the next day. The results are then downloaded, read by a sleep apnea professional, and a diagnosis is declared.
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