Your chronic snoring may not be noticeable to you, but your partner likely isn’t getting the rest they deserve. In fact, chronic snoring and sleep apnea are probably affecting your health more than you realize.
Dr. Gowda offers effective dental treatment options to reduce the impact sleep apnea has on your health, helping to end the snoring and other complications that can result.
Understanding sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that causes you to stop breathing for periods of time while you sleep. There are three primary causes of sleep apnea, including:
- Central sleep apnea
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Complex sleep apnea
Central sleep apnea involves dysfunction of muscle control by the brain, while obstructive sleep apnea results when the muscles in your throat relax as you sleep, disrupting your ability to breathe properly. In complex sleep apnea, you may have a combination of brain issues and muscle obstruction that affects your breathing.
Dr. Gowda can address episodes of obstructive sleep apnea with customized dental appliances that prevent muscle relaxation from interfering with your breathing.
Diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea
To determine if your snoring and sleep apnea breathing issues are related to a breathing obstruction, you receive a thorough evaluation of your mouth and throat. You may also be referred for a sleep study that monitors your breathing during a night of sleep.
Once obstructive sleep apnea is confirmed, Dr. Gowda can determine if a dental appliance can help relieve your symptoms.
Benefits of oral appliance therapy
Oral appliance therapy is a highly effective treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea and its symptoms, including chronic snoring. Treatment involves wearing a custom-designed oral appliance, similar to a mouthguard, that fits snugly over your teeth.
This appliance effectively moves your jaw forward to keep your airways open. By keeping your airways open, you not only can enjoy a full, restful sleep, you also can end the snoring that disrupts the sleep of others.
The oral appliance is easy to wear and maintain. Each appliance is made using both a physical mold and digital models of your mouth to ensure a perfect fit. The guard is made of high-quality, durable materials that feel comfortable in your mouth and can be used for a long time before you need a replacement.
Oral appliance therapy may eliminate the need for invasive surgeries to address sleep apnea. The appliance can also prevent reliance on a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine commonly used to improve your breathing while you sleep. This device can be inconvenient due to its constant electronic noise and limitations on your sleep positions.
Of course, the severity and cause of your sleep apnea may require the use of a CPAP machine or other therapies, but Dr. Gowda can evaluate your specific needs to help you find relief from chronic snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Find out if oral appliance therapy is right for you by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Gowda online or by phone today.