Sleep Apnea Treatment Beaverton
Better Sleep for a Healthier You
Do you feel tired all the time? Does your partner often complain that you snore? There is a chance that you have sleep apnea. Left untreated, this disorder can negatively affect your overall health and daily quality of life. What can you do about it? Fortunately, our Beaverton team offers effective sleep apnea treatment in the form of oral appliance therapy. Continue reading below to learn more about it, or contact our office directly to set up a consultation.
Why Choose Wolfe Dental Cedar Mill for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
- Highly Experienced & Caring Dental Team
- Effective Alternative to CPAP
- Improve Your Overall Health
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder where you stop breathing, or have periods of restricted breathing, multiple times throughout the night. The most common form of sleep apnea, called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), happens when tissues in your throat block the free flow of air. Central sleep apnea (CSA) happens when your brain does not send proper breathing signals to the rest of the body.
OSA can cause quite a few symptoms, including loud snoring, daytime exhaustion, mood swings, waking up with a headache or sore throat, and more. Anyone can develop sleep apnea, but it is most common in older individuals, obese people, and those with certain anatomical abnormalities in their airway.
The Dangers of Sleep Apnea
On the surface, it might seem like sleep apnea is nothing but a nuisance. The truth is, though, that it can have devastating consequences for your health and daily life. For example, it is associated with a heightened risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and more. Due to the fatigue it causes, it can lead to a greatly increased risk of accidents. It can even contribute to emotional difficulties, such as depression and anxiety.
Due to the many potential dangers of poor-quality sleep, untreated sleep apnea can significantly increase the risk of early death.
Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
Fortunately, sleep apnea is not difficult to treat in most cases. After you undergo a sleep test (a non-invasive diagnostic process to determine if you have sleep apnea), you can explore your options for managing it.
The most common OSA treatment is a CPAP machine, which uses pressurized air to keep oxygen flowing. Sadly, many people dislike their machine because it is uncomfortable and inconvenient. In our office, we provide an appealing alternative: oral appliance therapy. We can customize a special mouthpiece for you to wear at night. Its job is to shift your lower jaw slightly forward, which can keep your airway open and greatly reduce or even eliminate apnea episodes and snoring.