Sleep Apnea Treatment Improves Sleep & Reduces Snoring
Many of us think of snoring as little more than a potential annoyance to our sleeping partner, or an inconvenience that may occasionally cause waking during the night. However, if loud snoring is accompanied by chronic daytime fatigue, you may be suffering from a potentially serious sleep disorder called sleep apnea.
Patients suffering from the disorder often show increased signs of fatigue, irritability, headaches, and forgetfulness. Fortunately, Dr. Michael Sharp of the Sharp Smile Center offer sleep apnea treatment at our Portage, MI, practice, to help patients achieve more productive sleep and breathe more easily throughout the night.
What is Sleep Apnea?
The most common type of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea. When the soft tissue in the back of the throat becomes too relaxed as you enter sleep, the airway becomes blocked and snoring results.
When this occurs, natural breathing patterns become disturbed, causing a series of pauses in breathing that can last between ten and 20 seconds. In some cases, a patient may experience these pauses hundreds of times a night, causing him or her to wake up frequently, failing to achieve the deep sleep that is necessary for a good night’s rest.
Treating Sleep Apnea in Comfort
Prior to undergoing any type of treatment, our patients will be diagnosed by a sleep apnea physician and referred back to our office for treatment. In the past, many patients were treated with a CPAP machine - this involved wearing a large, bulky mask over the face while sleeping.
Our friendly doctors and staff are here to help you regain your energy and sleep more comfortably than you have in years.
While this is still a viable option, many patients feel that it is obtrusive and uncomfortable. Thanks to incredible advances in oral appliances, we offer a more convenient, less invasive mouthpiece that fits comfortably in the mouth: mandibular advancement splints (MAS), including SomnoMed® and TAP® appliances. Both are widely recognized as being incredibly successful solutions to airway obstruction.
Rest Peacefully With Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea is a serious condition characterized by intermittent interruption of breathing throughout the night. We can help. Dr. Sharp uses a custom oral appliance to reposition your jaw and keep your airway open, allowing you to breathe easily again.
How Do I Receive an Oral Appliance?
Prior to receiving your oral appliance, we will make an impression of your mouth to create a temporary MyTap™ mouthpiece. While this itself may improve minor symptoms of sleep apnea, we commonly use it as a temporary solution for patients to become accustomed to using an oral appliance. This way, patients can experience a mouthpiece prior to investing in the more advanced SomoMed® or TAP® treatments.
Once patients are comfortable and ready for more advanced treatment, we will create a precise model of your mouth, and send the results to a lab for the creation of your customized appliance.
Will This Cure My Sleep Apnea?
There are a variety of causes of sleep apnea, including a narrow jaw, depression, anxiety, obesity, and more. Therefore, the disorder can be extremely difficult to cure. In some cases, it may take a team of specialists to properly cure the disorder, including dentists and maxillofacial surgeons.
However, with the incredible advancements in oral appliances and the high success rates of our patients, we are confident that you and your sleeping partner will be satisfied with the outcome of your treatment.
Fight Your Fatigue and Sleep More Peacefully Today
By simply enjoying a fuller and more productive night of sleep, your mood can dramatically improve and you can achieve better overall health. Our friendly doctors and staff are here to help you regain your energy and sleep more comfortably than you have in years. To learn more about our sleep apnea treatment and to schedule a consultation, please contact our office today.
