Oral appliance treatment is an innovative treatment alternative to a traditional CPAP machine for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Sleep apnea can make sleeping at night a challenge, cause difficulty with focus throughout the day and affect your general health, and seeking treatment is important if symptoms continue or worsen.
The benefits of oral appliance treatment to address sleep apnea include improved general health, better sleep each night, the ability to focus during work or school and an easier time traveling (compared to a CPAP machine). The following is a closer look at each of these benefits.
Chronic sleep apnea that is not properly treated has health risks, such as an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and heart attack. This is largely due to the negative effects that sleep deprivation has on a person mentally, physically and emotionally. Oral appliance treatment allows for a better night of sleep, which could lead to less stress throughout the day, improved blood pressure and an improvement in cardiovascular health overall.
Obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common type of sleep apnea, occurs when the airway collapses frequently while sleeping, leading to an inability to breathe, which results in constantly waking up throughout the night. An oral appliance keeps the airway open throughout the night, which allows the user to get a better night of rest each night.
Due to sleep deprivation caused by obstructive sleep apnea, many people also experience fatigue and difficulty focusing throughout the day. Oral appliance treatment is designed to keep the airway open and improve sleep, which also allows for more energy and focus throughout each day.
CPAP machines are large and difficult to use for many. They are also hard to travel with. Mandibular advancement devices, which are nightguards that are specifically designed to treat sleep apnea, are much easier to travel with.
Obstructive sleep apnea often causes snoring. In addition, constantly waking up throughout the night can cause a patient to toss and turn more often. This not only affects their sleep, but it can also make it more challenging for their partner to sleep well. Oral appliance treatment helps the user stay asleep and it can relieve snoring, allowing the user’s partner to sleep better too.
We enjoy seeing our patients find relief from sleep apnea treatment. If you struggle with the symptoms of sleep apnea and want to experience the benefits of an oral appliance to treat sleep apnea, get in touch with us by phone or email. We are glad to answer your questions and schedule you a time to visit with us.
Request an appointment here: https://www.cosmeticdentistoffice.com or call Rachel Cole DDS PC at (503) 248-1114 for an appointment in our Portland office.
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