Dealing with Sleep Apnea
If you’ve been diagnosed with or suspect that you suffer from sleep apnea, our award-winning orthodontists have the experience to help you get back on the road to better health and more restful sleep. Although it is considered a serious condition, our sleep apnea treatment in Edison, Millburn, and Union, NJ, is relatively easy to incorporate into your nighttime routine.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping disorder that causes you to stop breathing temporarily during the night. This typically happens because of the way that your throat muscles relax while you’re asleep.
What Are the Symptoms?
Since the condition occurs while you’re sleeping, you may not even be aware that you suffer from sleep apnea. However, If you find that during the night you snore heavily, wake up with a choking sensation, or experience heartburn, then you may be dealing with sleep apnea. Another common symptom of sleep apnea is if you wake after a full night’s sleep but still feel tired or exhausted.
Why It’s Dangerous
People who don’t get treated for their sleep apnea have been known to be injured in car accidents and other mishaps because of their chronic exhaustion. Others experience a significant decline in their health, as the chronic oxygen deprivation caused by sleep apnea has been shown to increase blood pressure and raise the chances of a heart attack. Sleep apnea is no joke and it deserves your attention if you suspect you suffer from it.
Available Treatment Options
Here at Smile Solutions Orthodontics, we take sleep apnea very seriously and have helped thousands of patients with our sleep tests and sleep disorder treatment using various methods. We begin by taking a conservative approach to treatment by using nasal rinses, decongestants, and steroid sprays. If these prove ineffective, surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids may be recommended.
For many, the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is an effective treatment. This device is worn at night while sleeping and applies mild air pressure in order to keep the airway open. Not everyone can tolerate the CPAP, however, so intraoral devices are another option. These devices move the lower jaw forward, creating more room and a better position for the tongue, which opens the airway and provides an improved breathing pattern. These appliances fit over the upper and lower teeth or around the head and are worn only at night while sleeping. Intraoral devices can also be effective for those who are not a candidate for removal of the tonsils and adenoids.
