Sleep apnea is a medical condition and can only be diagnosed by a medical doctor. With that said, more and more people today are turning to their dentist to deliver sleep apnea treatment in the form of custom fit dental devices. If the notion of the possibility of throwing away your CPAP machine intrigues you...read on!
It's not just about the snoring and negative effect that snoring has on your bed partner and your self esteem. Sleep apnea is a potentially fatal disease. If you snore and/or gasp for air during sleep, see your doctor immediately. Should you be diagnosed by your medical doctor, he/she should discuss several treatment options.
What are the treatment options?
- Lifestyle changes – being overweight, effects of alcohol, poor sleeping habits
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure – a CPAP machine is a mask worn during sleep to help you breathe more easily
- Specialist, custom-made oral appliance
While a CPAP machine is considered the most effective treatment for OSA, an increasing percentage of apnea patients simply refuse to wear the CPAP mask for a host of reasons. The most common reasons are include profound discomfort and the side effect of "dry mouth".
Working with sleep physicians, our team of dental professionals here at Oyster Point Dentistry (Newport News, Va) treat people very effectively with custom dental solutions for sleep apnea.
Does sleeping peacfully with a simple dental device vice as opposed to forced CPAP air sound inviting? Call us to learn more!
