Have you ever had a good night sleep ruined by a snoring spouse or loved one? Or maybe you are the snoring spouse or loved one.
The reason may be sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious problem affecting roughly 22 million Americans. It’s when breathing is restricted during sleep, leading to heavy snoring, routine fatigue, and more serious heart and liver problems.
Fortunately, there are tests to find out if you have sleep apnea, and there are treatments to relieve the condition. You may be surprised to know your dentist may be able to help. Sleep apnea is one of the conditions were able to help treat right here in Alhambra at Evergreen Dental.
The most common form of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea. This is when breathing is restricted or stopped due to your throat muscles relaxing and blocking the airways, most commonly the tongue and uvula.
Currently, the standard treatment for sleep apnea is a machine called a CPAP, which stands for continuous positive air pressure. A CPAP machine uses a mask to be worn at night that is connected to a device that creates air pressure within the mask and airways. This pressure keeps the airways open. However, CPAP isn’t for everyone.
According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, roughly 50% of patients abandon treatment or fail due to CPAP’s difficulties. CPAP consists of the pressure device, a heated humidifier, and the mask, which most people find uncomfortable, costly, and restricting during sleep. It can be difficult to travel with and to obtain through health insurance. Thankfully there is another option for people with moderate to mild sleep apnea and Dr. Chang at Evergreen Dental in Alhambra can help.
As an alternative, Dr. Chang uses an oral mandibular device. The mandibular repositions your tongue and airway muscles to keep the airways open. The device is smaller, easier to travel with, and looks like a mouth guard. There’s no need to worry about 3 separate pieces or a mask strapped around your head as you sleep. A study published by the National Institute of Health found that the mandibular was just as helpful as CPAP but 51% of the patients preferred the mandibular compared to only 23% preferring CPAP.
Dr. Chang has been a long time promoter of the mandibular device. If you want to learn more to see if the device is right for you or have questions, make an appointment here to see the best dentist for sleep apnea. Dr. Chang, your Alhambra dentist.
