Custom oral appliances aid Mesa, AZ patients with sleep apnea
Millions of Americans suffer from the debilitating effects of sleep apnea. Fortunately, a sleep aid from your dentist can help. New Health Dental in Mesa, AZ is helping patients finally get a good night’s sleep with oral appliance therapy.
What is obstructive sleep apnea?
When we breathe, oxygen passes through the nose, mouth, and throat and ultimately ends up in the lungs. When this happens, the area in the back of the throat can collapse inward, but the muscles around it keep the airway open. If there is a disturbance in this process, the airway can be temporarily blocked, causing an apneic episode. If these episodes occur five or more times per hour, a patient is said to have obstructive sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea can increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity.
Symptoms include:
- Daytime fatigue
- Chronic, loud snoring
- Pauses in breathing during sleep
- Sore throat and dry mouth in the morning
- Headaches upon waking
- Insomnia
- High blood pressure
- Irritability
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
There is a variety of causes or risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea, including:
- Enlarged tonsils
- Obesity
- Male
- Age (40-60 years old)
- Smoking or tobacco use
One of the most common and potentially effective treatments for obstructive sleep apnea is CPAP. CPAP (or continuous positive airway pressure) is a machine that delivers air pressure to a person via a mask that is worn while sleeping. Unfortunately, compliance with CPAP therapy is very low, with over half of the patients discontinuing use of it in less than a year.
We offer patients oral appliance therapy as a convenient, effective way to treat obstructive sleep apnea. The device works by repositioning the mouth to keep the airway open. If you are ready to have more restful sleep, call us today at (480) 830-3305 for a consultation.
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