Sleep Apnea

Description

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.

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[00:00:05.280] Sleep apnea is when a person goes to sleep, [00:00:11.080] they forget to breathe, [00:00:12.880] or they stop breathing several times through the night. [00:00:17.560] So we call that sleep apnea. [00:00:20.560] That's something that can only be diagnosed by the medical profession. [00:00:24.640] However, there are several signs and symptoms that we see in dentistry [00:00:29.560] that lead us to an understanding that maybe that is happening. [00:00:35.680] In dentistry, we treat patients for snoring. [00:00:41.880] We use anti-snoring appliances [00:00:45.120] which are called mandibular advancement devices [00:00:48.240] or mandibular advancement appliances. [00:00:51.800] There are several dentists talking about these things [00:00:55.440] and helping people to breathe better anecdotally [00:01:01.240] through the use of these appliances. [00:01:03.080] And what they do is they actually advance the lower jaw out forward, [00:01:10.320] which brings the tongue with it and opens up the airway behind the tongue. [00:01:15.960] So if a person really wants to know if they have sleep apnea, [00:01:20.440] we refer them to a sleep center. [00:01:23.320] If they're diagnosed with sleep apnea, [00:01:25.680] the gold standard in the medical profession is a CPAP, [00:01:29.680] which is a way to deliver positive air flow [00:01:34.240] by forcing air into a constricted airway tube. [00:01:41.040] So there's nothing wrong with a CPAP, [00:01:44.440] but there are several people that are intolerant [00:01:47.800] or unable to wear a CPAP. [00:01:51.240] So in those situations, [00:01:54.360] there are special exemptions that the medical profession [00:02:01.080] has that allows them to write a prescription [00:02:03.680] for us to make a mandibular advancement appliance [00:02:06.680] or a mandibular advancement device. [00:02:09.520] That would be another alternative to a CPAP for sleep apnea.

Dr. Michael Sharp

Sharp Smile Center

Dr. Michael Sharp believes in using his advanced dentistry skills and top-of-the-line dental technology to help people change their lives for the better — inside and out. Dr. Sharp belongs to a number of prominent organizations, including the:
  • Accredited, Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
  • International Congress of Oral Implantologists, Fellow 
  • American Dental Association
  • Michigan Dental Association

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We invite you to request a consultation online or call us at (269) 344-4004 today.

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"Eight implants and many crowns later, I have a smile to be proud of. With the aid of sedation, we got a lot done in a short time. THANK YOU Dr. Sharp and staff for getting me through my dental problems." Gene

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