What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is any condition where breathing becomes impeded or disrupted when a person sleeps. These disruptions stem from an airway blockage, usually due to a collapse of soft tissue in the airway. This blockage can be complete and entirely cut off the flow of air. Oxygen levels in the body drop, and the brain sends signals to the body that breathing has been disrupted. This causes sleep cycle disruptions, even though a person probably never consciously wakes during these sleep apneic events.
Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the most well-known and serious sleep-breathing disorders. It's also becoming more common; this condition now affects nearly 10% of all American adults. If you suffer from sleep apnea, this s a severe problem that can affect your ability to rest and overall health. It even can threaten your life by increasing your risk of specific health ailments and diseases. Exceptional Dentistry offers sleep apnea treatment in Louisville with oral appliance therapy using devices such as ProSomnus and SomnoMed.
Primary Symptom Is Snoring!
Other symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Pauses in breathing while asleep
- Making choking or gasping sounds when you sleep
- Frequently feeling fatigued, no matter how early you went to sleep
- Waking up with headaches
- Irritability and unexplainable mood swings
- Problems thinking clearly, learning, or remembering
- Frequently waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
How can your dentist help with sleep apnea?
Airway dentistry is a specialization of the field, focusing on airway management. While only a qualified sleep specialist can diagnose sleep apnea, an airway dentist provides treatment, allowing patients to get the restful sleep they have been denied. Across the entire medical field, CPAP is considered the preferred treatment method. Standing for continuous positive airway pressure, CPAP involves wearing a mask when you sleep that is attached to a machine with calibrated airflow that pumps air into the airways. However, many patients find using a CPAP machine uncomfortable and it disrupts their partner’s sleep.
At Exceptional Dentistry, we offer oral appliance therapy to help our patients with sleep apnea. There is a high rate of non-compliance among sleep apnea patients who use CPAP. According to clinical studies, up to 50% of CPAP patients stop using the machine within one year, while as many as 20% of sleep apnea patients never even start on CPAP. Oral appliance therapy has a higher compliance rate than CPAP. It is less invasive and more convenient. Your dentist provides a customized mouthpiece for the ideal fit, comfort, and effectiveness. When worn, the mouthpiece gently guides the lower jaw, helping maintain an open airway to decrease sleep apnea symptoms. We use two varieties of oral appliances to treat sleep apnea: ProSomnus and SomnoMed.
ProSomnus represents the latest advancement in sleep technology.
A ProSomnus oral appliance is customized to fit your mouth. ProSomnus is comfortable to wear and won’t impede your ability to sleep. It remains easy to speak and even drink if you wake up needing some water. The device is worn like a retainer, bringing the lower jaw forward to keep the airway open. Patients who use ProSomnus often report their snoring is completely alleviated when wearing the device.
Advantages: ProSomnus is flexible, comfortable, and durable. Its small size and precise fit make it more comfortable than other methods of oral appliance therapy. Not every dentist is qualified to offer ProSomnus—only those registered and certified. Exceptional Dentistry is proud to be a ProSomnus provider in Louisville and the surrounding areas.
SomnoMed is the largest supplier worldwide of oral appliances
Much like ProSomnus, SomnoMed moves the jaw forward, as well as the tongue, allowing the airway to remain open while you sleep. Thanks to its unique SMHBFlex technology, a SomnoMed device provides a high level of comfort and compliance rate; 88% of SomnoMed patients regularly use their oral appliances, while 91% report more comfortable sleep. These oral appliances glide over the teeth, providing a gentle cradle of support. You can speak when wearing it, and the appliances are quite discreet. These oral appliances have an average life expectancy between 3-5 years and carry a 3-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
