Do you feel exhausted when you wake up in the morning, even though you slept through the night? If so, you may suffer from sleep apnea.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by a sudden obstruction of your airways. When this occurs, your brain signals your body to wake up and breathe. You wake with a choking or gasping sound, quickly taking in air, before falling immediately back to sleep.
This occurs when your throat muscles do not remain active enough to support the soft tissue in your throat. While you sleep, your muscles over-relax, allowing the soft tissues in your throat and palate to completely collapse. When the airflow stops and your brain is no longer receiving adequate oxygen, your body struggles for air. This is one step beyond snoring, which occurs when the soft tissues in your throat partially collapse and vibrate against one another. Most sleep apnea sufferers also experience extreme snoring.
How Do You Treat Sleep Apnea?
We treat sleep apnea at Modern Dentistry of Shrewsbury with Herbst or Moses oral appliances. These are soft plastic, custom-fitted mouthpieces that resemble night guards. They gently shift your jaw into a new position, allowing your air passages to remain open while you sleep. The result is comfortable breathing and restful sleep.
Do I Make A Good Candidate?
If you suffer from common symptoms associated with sleep apnea, our trusted dentists will discuss your concerns to determine whether you make a good candidate for treatment. By choosing treatment, you may drastically improve your daily quality of life while preventing serious damage. Common symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- You are an extremely loud snorer
- Your significant other has witnessed nighttime gasping events
- You feel exhausted during the day
- Poor daily concentration
- Moodiness
- Sore throat upon waking
