What are my Treatment Options for Sleep Apnea?

Deep, rejuvenating sleep is essential for your health and overall sense of well-being. It is the time your body rests and regenerates. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that can impact your health and quality of life, leaving you missing out on many of the things you love to do. At Highrise Dental, we offer oral appliance therapy to help you enjoy restful, refreshing sleep once again.

Understanding Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a potentially devastating sleep disorder that affects millions of men and women worldwide. It is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep, often as many as 5-30 times an hour, all night long. This can disrupt the ability to reach deep sleep and lead to periods of oxygen deprivation, posing a risk to your health.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea, resulting from the soft tissues relaxing and obstructing the upper airway. This can cause a person’s breathing to repeatedly start and stop during sleep. The result? Fragmented, non-restorative sleep and a host of symptoms, including the following:

  • Loud snoring
  • Waking up gasping or choking
  • Pauses in breath during sleep
  • Morning headaches
  • Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Mood changes, such as irritability or depression
  • Difficulty focusing during the day
  • Unexplained weight gain

The Devastating Effects of Sleep Apnea 

Sleep apnea can adversely impact your health and quality of life. Chronic sleep deprivation can elevate your risk of accidents and diminish your overall sense of wellness. Oxygen deprivation night after night has been directly linked to severe health concerns. These include cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and more.

What Are Your Sleep Apnea Treatment Options?

The first step in treating sleep apnea is diagnosing the condition through a sleep study. Traditional OSA treatments typically involve the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. The device delivers a constant stream of air through a mask, which helps keep your airway open during sleep. CPAP therapy can be effective when used correctly, but some find the mask uncomfortable and the machine noisy.

At Highrise Dental, we offer oral appliance therapy to treat your sleep apnea symptoms. That involves the use of custom-fitted oral devices that help reposition your jaw or tongue during sleep, keeping your airway unobstructed. Many of our patients find oral appliance therapy comfortable and effective in relieving their sleep apnea symptoms.

Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnea Near Me in Phoenix, AZ

Visit Highrise Dental to learn more about oral appliance therapy and determine if it’s right for you. Dr. Perno will recommend the type of oral appliance best suited for your unique needs. We look forward to helping you restore your restful, rejuvenating sleep.

Are you ready to get started? We invite you to call us at 602-230-1161 to schedule your appointment or book one online today!

By Dr. Dana Perno, DDS | 09-May-2024