Sleep Apnea Treatment by the Experts
Sleep Apnea Treatment in New Orleans Area
Are you looking for sleep apnea treatment in New Orleans area?
At Oak Family Dental, we strive for optimum overall health and well-being for our patients, which is why we offer sleep apnea treatments in Metairie and Mandeville.
In recent years, new technology in the field of dental sleep medicine means we can even help you with sleep apnea. Dental sleep medicine is the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing using an oral appliance. In this new field, dentists and physicians (who specialize in sleep) work hand in hand to develop the best treatment options for patients.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is one of the most common and dangerous sleep disorders if left untreated. Sleep apnea occurs when the airway is blocked during sleep. This happens when the tissues supporting the airway collapse. When the airway is blocked, breathing is interrupted.
Sleep apnea signs and symptoms include snoring, gasping, choking sounds during sleep, morning headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness, attention problems, and irritability.
An estimated 22 million people in the United States have sleep apnea; however, 80 percent of these cases go undiagnosed. When left untreated, sleep disorders can lead to severe problems with overall health and complications, including high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, depression, and chronic acid reflux. Untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk of early death.
Why Choose Oak Family Dental for Sleep Apnea Treatments?
At Oak Family Dental, we offer our patients the best options to achieve overall health and well-being. We have the training to recognize the signs and symptoms of sleep disorders in the oral cavity. We now have the latest technology in the office, which can measure the diameter of your airway and detect any blockages in your nasal passage.
Based on your results and other contributing factors, it may be necessary to obtain more information through a sleep study. And we can provide an at-home sleep test for you.
Read more about sleep apnea below. Our dental team would be happy to provide you with additional information or answer your questions. Contact our dental team to schedule a sleep apnea evaluation.
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Common Questions Answered About Sleep Apnea.
What are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
Snoring is the most reported symptom. However, if you live alone, you may not know you snore, which is why it’s crucial to pay attention to the other signs of sleep apnea, which include:
- Waking up throughout the night, sometimes gasping or choking
- Periodic dry mouth or dry throat
- Morning headaches
- Feeling tired through the day
- Mood changes
It’s important to remember that sleep apnea symptoms do not mean you have sleep apnea. Many people snore, for example, but do not have a sleep disorder. It is essential to schedule an exam with your dentist to learn whether you have sleep apnea.
What Causes Sleep Apnea?
Common causes of adult sleep apnea include obesity, narrow/thick neck, and round head. Specific health conditions that may contribute to sleep apnea in adults include:
- Allergies
- Deviated septum
- Hypothyroidism
- Contributing lifestyle factors may include smoking cigarettes and alcohol consumption.
In children, sleep apnea may result from adenoid and tonsil issues, large overbite, and specific syndromes, including Down syndrome and Pierre-Robin syndrome.
Your doctor or dentist may recommend specific lifestyle changes to complement your sleep apnea therapy—and even particular procedures. For example, if sleep apnea results from a bite issue, orthodontics may be indicated.
Sleep apnea is also associated with bruxism.
What is Bruxism?
Bruxism means you grind and clench your teeth—often while asleep. Bruxism may link to some sleep apnea cases.
Symptoms of bruxism may include:
- Headache
- Jaw pain
- Face pain
- Enamel wear on teeth
- Tooth fractures
- Cavities
- Tooth loss
- Tooth pain
Bruxism is also associated with temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ/TMD).
TMD means the joint that connects your jaw to your skull does not function properly, and you may notice:
- Jaw clicking
- Jaw locking
- Jaw pain
- Headache
- Face pain
The good news is that specific dental appliances may help in the treatment of these disorders, and a dental appliance can also combat sleep apnea.
How is Sleep Apnea Treated in New Orleans Area?
We offer an at-home sleep test, which the patient uses within the comfort of their own home. Once we collect the data, we send it to a certified sleep physician who interprets the results. Based on the doctor’s diagnosis and treatment prescription, we at Oak Family Dental are here to help our patients get the best treatment to correct their sleep apnea and improve their overall health.
Sleep apnea treatment should have you feeling better and resting comfortably in no time. And our treatment varies depending on the cause or extent of your sleep apnea. For example, we may recommend a dental appliance that gently keeps your airway open while you sleep.
If your sleep apnea results from an anatomical issue in the throat, we may recommend medical interventions like surgery.
If orthodontics is playing a part, we may look at treatments to improve your bite.
The first step is an evaluation in our dental office. We will work with you to diagnose and create a treatment plan that restores your sleep and quality of life.
How Can I Lower My Sleep Apnea Risk?
Because contributing factors may include obesity, smoking, and drinking alcohol, you may lower your risk by losing weight, quitting smoking, and drinking less alcohol.
However, some patients have anatomical abnormalities in the mouth or throat that lead to sleep apnea. In these cases, surgery may be in order.
If your bite is off—crossbite, overbite, underbite—you may benefit from orthodontics. Correcting your bite may lower your risk for sleep apnea.
If several family members suffer from sleep apnea, you may ask your doctor or dentist for more specific tips to help lower your apnea risk as well.
Schedule Your Sleep Apnea Treatment Today
Based on the severity of your sleep apnea (and any underlying contributing factors), your dentist may recommend continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, an oral appliance, or surgery.
So, if you have issues sleeping, including snoring and waking up unrested, or if you have questions about sleep apnea treatment, please contact our dental office to schedule an evaluation today!
Our dental team looks forward to meeting you and helping you get the restful sleep you deserve.