Sleep apnea is a problem that prevents people who suffer from it, and
their partners, from getting a good night of sleep. Eliminating sleep
apnea does not have to involve going through surgery thanks to new
advances in dental technology. Instead, you can get an oral device that
is customized to the shape of your mouth to prevent the symptoms of
sleep apnea.
In order to be given the oral device that will
prevent sleep apnea, you will first have to go through a sleep study in
order to diagnose your sleep apnea accurately. This is conducted with a
board certified sleep medicine physician at an AASM certified sleep
center. Once diagnosed, you will work with Dr. Darren Flowers to have a
device fitted specifically for your mouth and your needs. Worn every
night, you should be able to enjoy a better night of sleep and face your
life with renewed vigor. The device works by keeping the airway from
collapsing by moving the jaw into a forward position or by holding your
tongue in position.
Call Us Now with Questions or to Setup a Free Consultation with Dr. Flowers: (623) 551-8000
Sleep apnea is not only troublesome because it causes you to lose sleep
and have days or weeks in which you are exhausted, but it can actually
be life threatening. Those who suffer from sleep apnea are known to stop
breathing for periods of time while sleeping. No oxygen can get into
the lungs, causing the body to go into emergency mode in which the
patient gasps for breath. If the body is too exhausted to go into this
emergency mode, the patient may never wake up. Wearing an oral sleep
apnea device can help to prevent this from happening.
Other than being able to save your life, you will notice you are
getting more restful sleep while you are wearing the oral sleep apnea
device. Those who live with someone who suffers from sleep apnea will
also start sleeping better, because there will be less noise at night.
They will worry less about the health and safety of their significant
other. Once fabricated and used, you may notice an improvement in mental
acuity as well as your performance in everyday activities.
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With experience in the dental industry since 1995, he has been
providing dental patients with the help they need to have a better smile
and a better night of sleep. Dedicated to providing you the finest in
oral care, Dr. Darren Flowers has a staff just as dedicated to your oral
needs as he is. Together, these professionals work hard to make sure
you are given the comfortable and friendly attention you deserve when
going to the dentist. Dr. Darren Flowers looks forward to assisting you
with your sleep apnea disorder,
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder that affects an estimated of 50-70
million people in the United States. The disorder is characterized by
long pauses in breathing or shallow breathing while asleep. Each pause
is known as an apnea episode, and in severe cases can last up for a few
minutes. Shallow breathing episodes are known as hypopnea, and often
occur in between apnea episodes. This disorder can be very severe, and
can cause other health issues to form.
There are three types of sleep apnea disorder: obstructive, central,
and mixed sleep apnea. Each type has their own set of symptoms and risk
factors, but each type is characterized by apnea and hypopnea episodes.
Obstructive
sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea, and occurs most
frequently in people with low muscle mass around their airway. Low
muscle tone can occur if the patient is overweight, or if they are
active smokers. During sleep, patients with this type of sleep apnea
snore loudly, are very restless, and can experience 5-30 apnea episodes
per hour. Patients who exhibit symptoms of this disorder should see a
sleep specialist in order to get diagnosed and treated very quickly. If
left untreated, patients will develop a higher risk of cardiovascular
disease, heart arrhythmias, diabetes and stroke. Patients who have a
BMI >30, who are diabetic, smokers, or above the age of 65 do have an
increased risk of developing this type of sleep apnea.
Central
sleep apnea is a neurological disorder that can affect anyone. It occurs
when the respiratory control centers in the brain begin to malfunction,
causing the patient to have apnea episodes at night. Patients who have
this disorder have an imbalance in their neurological feedback mechanism
that allows them to breathe normally while in sleep states. Their
feedback mechanism will not react quickly during hours of sleep, and
this causes the patient to stop breathing for periods of time at night.
Patients with this disorder have an increased risk of seizures and heart
attacks. In worst-case scenarios, patients can even die in their sleep
due to the prolonging of their episodes.
Mixed apnea is a
combination of both obstructive and central sleep apnea. Patients who
have severe obstructive sleep apnea often develop central apnea
overtime. For this reason, it is extremely important to undergo
treatment for obstructive sleep apnea so that central apnea cannot
arise. However, patients who do develop symptoms of central apnea,
usually have very little episodes of central apnea, and will mostly
exhibit more signs of obstructive apnea. They will only experience
episodes of central apnea after patients have undergone prolonged CPAP
therapy for their obstructive sleep apnea. Fortunately though, patients
with mixed apnea experience central apnea episodes very rarely, and they
are self-limiting.
In order to receive the correct treatment for sleep apnea the first step
is to get a proper diagnosis. A diagnosis is based off of an evaluation
of a patient’s symptoms and the results of a sleep study. During a
formal sleep study patients will sleep overnight at a sleep clinic while
doctors and technicians measure a patient’s brain activity, eye
movements, heart rhythm and muscle activity. The results will allow
doctors to see exactly how many apnea episodes a patient has per night,
and will also give them information on a patient’s overall health while
they are sleeping. Oximetry can also be used to diagnose sleep apnea. It
is often performed in the comfort of the patient’s home, and measures
the patient’s oxygen levels throughout the night. This test can be
performed over numerous nights to gain an insight on the average number
of apnea and hypopnea episodes a person has per night.
Fortunately for patients, there are a variety of treatment options
for sleep apnea. The first treatment that doctors will try is often
behavioral therapy. This involves the patient trying to lose weight if
necessary, avoiding alcohol and avoiding sleeping pills. In mild cases
of sleep apnea, behavioral therapy is often enough.
In moderate to
severe cases of sleep apnea, medications such as muscle relaxers or
medications that increase respiration can be utilized. Other options for
moderate to severe cases include using an oral appliance. The most
common oral appliance for sleep apnea is a CPAP machine. This machine
will force air into the patient’s respiratory tract at night to prevent
apnea episodes. If none of these options work, then there are surgical
options available
