Sleep Apnea – North Phoenix, AZ

What is Sleep Apnea?

The type of sleep apnea that certain dentists are capable of treating is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when a patient is unable to breathe properly during sleep because of a blockage in their airway. Due to this lack of oxygen, the brain is forced to awaken the patient so that they can start breathing once more. While these awakenings are brief and may not even be remembered in the morning, they can happen constantly throughout the night. As a result, the patient is unable to achieve deep sleep and experiences chronic exhaustion, painful morning headaches, and other unpleasant symptoms that hurt their overall quality of life.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

There are a host of factors that can contribute to an increased risk for sleep apnea, some of which include:

• Obesity – When too much weight is present, excess fat deposits around your neck and upper airway can lead to difficulty breathing at night.
• Narrow airway – If you inherited a narrow airway from one of your parents, or if you have large tonsils or adenoids, this can create a blockage.
• Alcohol consumption – Because alcohol relaxes your muscles in your throat, this can make OSA much worse.
• Smoking – If you smoke, your upper airway may experience inflammation and fluid retention, making it more difficult to breathe due to a blockage.
• Sinus congestion – If you have persistent sinus problems, this can make you more susceptible to OSA.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Sleep apnea is not always easily identifiable. While the most obvious symptom is chronic snoring, if you do not have a partner who can alert you to the loud noises being made at night or your body has ceased breathing, it may be more difficult to spot. Fortunately, other signs can point to the possibility of sleep apnea. These include:

• Chronic snoring
• Sleep deprivation
• Difficulty trying to concentrate
• Depression
• Irritability

Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

Once you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is important that you contact us to discuss methods of treatment. Nowadays, more and more dentists are opting for a more comfortable and flexible solution – oral appliance therapy.

What Are Oral Appliances?

These small, compact devices are custom-made to fit inside your mouth and move your jaw slightly forward. This allows your airway to stay open throughout the night while you sleep. Not only are these appliances easy to use, but they are far less cumbersome to travel with when preparing for a trip.

Combined Therapy

While oral appliance therapy is a useful and effective solution for some patients, it may not be for everyone. This is why we are pleased to provide alternative solutions such as CPAP therapy and recommendations on how to go about making beneficial lifestyle changes (i.e. exercise, weight loss program, smoking cessation,). Depending on the severity of your case, it may be necessary to undergo upper airway surgery.

The Cost of Sleep Apnea

The cost of treating sleep apnea is not the same for everyone. The reason for this is that everyone’s needs are different, and if you benefit from oral appliance therapy, the next person may require the traditional CPAP machine to achieve desired results. Since there are varying factors that must be considered when determining the overall cost of treatment (i.e. severity of the problem, preferred treatment method), it is important to remember that sleep apnea therapy is not filed under dental insurance as it is considered a medical condition. If you need assistance in determining whether you are eligible for oral appliance therapy based on the conditions of your medical insurance, allow one of our team members to be of assistance.