Sleep Apnea Treatment
Did you know that thirty to fifty percent of Americans snore while they sleep? While this may be viewed as an annoying sleep habit by your bed partner, it could also be a warning sign of a serious health condition called sleep apnea. As part of our general dentistry treatments at Three Creek Dentistry, we offer effective nighttime appliance therapy to stop your snoring and protect your health from the dangers of sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea sufferers can experience a multitude of temporary pauses in breathing throughout the night. This occurs when the tongue blocks the pharyngeal airway. Many people wake up gasping for air on several occasions during the night. Unfortunately, snoring is only one side effect of sleep apnea. Since sleep apnea restricts oxygen to the brain and body, it can also impact your overall health and well-being. In fact, untreated sleep apnea has been linked to the following:
- Drowsiness
- Morning headaches
- Gastric reflux
- Memory problems
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Sexual dysfunction
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Sudden cardiac death
If you snore or suffer from daytime fatigue and headaches, let us help. Three Creek Dentistry is qualified to restore your sleep quality by reducing or eliminating sleep apnea episodes.
Relief from Snoring and Teeth Grinding
Oral appliance therapy is a proven treatment method for those who snore or grind their teeth during sleep. Not only do our nighttime appliances open the airway to prevent snoring, but they can also be used to protect your teeth from teeth grinding. These are habits that can disturb your partner’s sleep as well as harm your health. At Three Creek Dentistry, your appliance will be similar to a fitted mouth guard. It provides effective relief without limiting your ability to open your mouth, yawn or speak. Many of our sleep apnea patients choose oral appliance therapy due to their intolerance of a CPAP machine.
To learn more about sleep apnea treatment or snoring relief from a skilled dentist in Derwood, contact Three Creek Dentistry. We care about each aspect of your oral health – even when it relates to your quality of sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions about snoring and sleep apnea? Below are some common questions and answers that our team hears all the time. If you have any further questions or would like to make an appointment, feel free to give our office a call!
What are common symptoms of sleep apnea?
While sleep apnea has to be officially diagnosed by a sleep doctor, there are a few common symptoms that patients with sleep apnea have that lead them to seek a diagnosis. These symptoms include:
- Loud snoring
- Waking up with a dry or sore throat
- Waking up during the night choking or gasping
- Drowsiness no matter how much you sleep
- Frequent headaches
Is sleep apnea curable?
Permanently resolving sleep apnea usually involves surgically removing the excess tissue from the palate or throat. However, oral appliance therapy works well to keep the airway open during sleep and essentially “cures” sleep apnea so long as it is used regularly. Oral appliance therapy is a great solution, especially if your sleep apnea is mild and you don’t want an invasive procedure to fix it.
Can a specialist fix my loud snoring?
If you have tried other snoring solutions like nasal strips, chin straps, or other devices, consider investing in oral appliance therapy. Oral appliances not only stop snoring, but stop the other symptoms of sleep apnea. Some of our patients have told us that oral appliance therapy is the best treatment for sleep apnea that they’ve found, because it opens the airway in the throat and treats the symptoms of sleep apnea and snoring.
If you’ve been searching for sleep apnea treatment in Derwood, MD, we’d like to invite you to schedule an appointment with our team. To make an appointment, give our office a call or use our online contact form to request a time and day that works for you.