Dentist in Highland, MI Offering CPAP Alternatives for Patients Suffering from Obstructed Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea, when undiagnosed and untreated, can lead to several health issues for those who suffer from the condition. When many who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea think of available treatment, they think about bulky CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines that are, for many, unpleasant to sleep with. The team at Milford Dental and Associates in Highland, MI understands and empathizes with patients who feel this way. They offer alternative treatment options for sleep apnea patients which provide relief from this common affliction.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
First, let’s talk about what obstructive sleep apnea is. It is a serious disorder that causes a person’s breathing during sleep to be interrupted. When left untreated, a person with this disorder can stop breathing several times during a single night’s sleep. Amazingly, the number of times this can happen in a single night can be in the hundreds. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea that is diagnosed in patients and occurs when a person’s upper airway becomes blocked either partly or completely while asleep. When an apnea episode occurs, a person’s diaphragm and chest muscles must work exponentially harder as pressure increases to open the airway.
Breathing will typically resume accompanied by a body jerk or loud gasp.
Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can include:
- Snoring
- Daytime fatigue
- Restlessness during sleep
- Dry mouth when waking
- Night sweats
- Headaches
Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea with an Oral Appliance
Many patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea will first attempt to alleviate the issue with a CPAP machine. To many patients, a CPAP machine is bulky, loud, uncomfortable, and provides poor quality air during sleep. Because of this, it can exacerbate the issue of a poor night’s rest because the patient cannot get comfortable. An alternative to a CPAP machine does exist in the form of an oral appliance. An oral appliance, when worn at night, can prevent the tongue from blocking the throat and keep the lower jaw in an advanced position to ensure that the patient’s breathing passage does not become blocked during sleep. Milford Dental and Associates highly recommends an oral appliance as an acceptable alternative to CPAP machines and has seen much success in their use. To schedule an appointment with Milford Dental and Associates, please call (248) 685-0941 today.
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