People with untreated sleep apnea issues are more likely to face premature death.
At Be More Dental, the first step in the sleep dentistry treatment process is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Amanda Hurley. During the consultation, she will ask about your medical history and symptoms. The dentist will also physically examine your mouth and throat and use CBCT to assess your airway.
We also have take-home sleep tests and provide a reading-by-physician service to evaluate your situation. Your Baltimore dentist will determine if you are a good candidate for sleep dentistry treatment based on the information collected.
If Dr. Amanda determines you are a good candidate for treatment, she will develop a personalized treatment plan for you. The type of treatment you get will depend on the severity of your sleep apnea and its underlying cause. Sometimes, we may recommend a simple lifestyle change, such as losing weight or quitting smoking. In other cases, more aggressive treatment may be necessary.
Oral appliances or night guards are small devices you put in your mouth while sleeping. Our dentists provide night guards to protect your teeth from night grinding. The night guards also help Dr. Hurley to treat TMJ and orofacial pain using botox. She does this in close consultation with a TMJ-specific physical therapist to ensure flawless operations.
If you want to learn more about oral appliances or night guards, don't hesitate to contact our office today. Our dentists are ready to answer your questions and help you find the best treatment option.
It is estimated that 2-9% of adults struggle with obstructive sleep apnea
Sleep apnea treatment has multiple benefits for your overall health and wellness. You can expect to experience a better quality of sleep, improved mood and alertness, a decrease in snoring, and a lower risk of developing complications such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
For sleep apnea treatment to be successful, you should see positive results within a few weeks. Treatment will likely progress in stages, and you may need several appointments with a sleep dentist. With proper care and follow-up visits, your sleep apnea can be managed successfully after just a few visits to our practice.
Sleep apnea is a severe condition that occurs when someone’s breathing is interfered with while asleep. Some of the symptoms of apnea include fatigue and snoring loudly while sleeping.This disorder disrupts sleep due to frequent breathing pauses. As a result, your sleep quality becomes poor, allowing fatigue to kick in for the rest of the day. Sleep apnea can also cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.
Oral appliances are remarkably effective in improving sleep quality, as confirmed by the U.S. Department of Health's extensive survey. The results are truly encouraging for anyone dealing with sleep apnea or snoring issues. An impressive 97% of patients found that using oral appliances helped eliminate or significantly reduce their sleep apnea and snoring problems. For 75% of these patients, sleep apnea was reduced by more than half, and 58% even managed to completely eliminate it. Not only did these appliances benefit the users, but their bed partners also experienced improvements, with 70% noting a reduction in snoring and a remarkable 91% reporting better sleep when their partner used the oral appliance.
Sleep apnea can have various common side effects that can impact your daily life and overall well-being. These effects include difficulty concentrating and learning, memory loss, anxiety, and depression, which can make everyday tasks more challenging. Additionally, frequent headaches, irritability, and increased blood pressure are often associated with sleep apnea. It's important to note that sleep apnea can also contribute to cardiovascular disease, reduce libido, and cause excessive daytime fatigue, leaving you feeling drained and less interested in activities you enjoy.
Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) stands as the most widely accepted approach for addressing sleep apnea. This therapy uses a specially designed oral device to maintain the openness of the upper airway and prevent apnea episodes. It's important to note that OAT does not involve medications or surgical interventions on the airway. This non-invasive solution offers a path to safe, restful sleep and a healthier life for countless individuals. Many patients experience the benefits right away, often noticing improvements after just one night of use. While there is currently no cure for sleep apnea, effective management through therapies like OAT allows patients to lead healthier lives.
Leaving sleep apnea untreated can have serious consequences. It raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to fatigue-related accidents at work and while driving, impacting safety. It also diminishes one's overall quality of life. Additionally, it heightens the risk of developing type I diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance. Seeking treatment for sleep apnea is essential for preventing these potential health complications.
Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) refers to the struggle to breathe effectively while asleep, often triggered by obstructions in the nasal or oral airways as one drifts off. Just like the rest of the body, the airway should relax during sleep. However, SDB causes the airway to relax too much. This then causes the tongue to fall back with the soft tissues in the throat, which can partially or completely cut off airflow to the lungs.
Sleep apnea affects both men and women.
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