Sleep Apnea

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Do you or anyone you know suffer from snoring and daytime sleepiness? Then you may be experiencing obstructive sleep apnea. At Concierge Smile Boutique, we will work with you to find a solution to your sleep apnea at our West Los Angeles dentist office.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Snoring is the fluttering sound that results from the vibration of the collapsing tongue & soft tissue in the back of the throat while asleep. Virtually all sleep apnea patients have a history of loud snoring.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a serious, potentially life-threatening medical condition and must be diagnosed by a physician. Diagnosis is based on the results of an overnight sleep study called a Polysomnogram (PSG), along with patient evaluation and history.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. These "non-breathing" episodes can dangerously last from a few seconds to minutes and may occur more than 30 times an hour. These breathing pauses will move you out of deep sleep and into a light sleep and cause serious health problems.

Who does it affect?

• Sleep apnea impacts more than 20 million men and women in the U.S.

• Anyone can develop OSA, although it most commonly affects middle-aged and older adults and people who are overweight.

• 80% of high blood pressure patients who take more than one blood pressure medication suffers from sleep apnea.

• 65% of stroke and congestive heart failure patients suffer from sleep apnea.

Health Issues Caused by OSA

Aside from the snoring, and the poor quality of sleep, chronic OSA causes multiple major health problems including:

• Damaging one's blood vessels which consequently causes cardiovascular events (i.e. heart problems such as heart attack, heart failure, & high blood pressure)

• Damaging grey matter or brain cells, which causes diminished memory, inability to think correctly, and depression.

• In patients with GERD or acid reflux, it can suck up stomach acid into the lungs that can lead to pulmonary complications such as pneumonia.

• Diabetes (increased insulin resistance) even in non-diabetic patients.

• Elevates risk of stroke or death

Treatment Options

Obstructive sleep apnea treatment may involve using a device to keep your airway open like the CPAP (Continuous Airway Pressure) or using a dental mouthpiece to keep your jaw forward during sleep.

Therapy through your Physician

• If you have moderate to severe OSA an initial trial with a nasal CPAP is necessary due to its greater effectiveness than an oral appliance.

• If you cannot tolerate or refuse to use your CPAP, and with a release from your physician, an oral appliance can be tried.

Oral Appliances Therapy through your Dentist

There are more than 80 types of oral appliances are available with two basic categories: Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) or Tongue Retained Appliances (TRA). It is important that the right type of appliance is selected for your particular case. Having an appliance that is comfortable for you is our highest goal, as it will ensure ease of use and greatest compliance.

Your oral appliance is a device that is worn in the mouth, similar to an orthodontic retainer or a mouthguard. The appliance attempts to keep your airway open during sleep, promoting adequate air intake. It does so by trying to prevent your tongue and soft tissues from collapsing in the back of the throat.

Additional Information

You may visit the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine website: http://www.aadsm.org/PatientResources.aspx

Thank you for choosing Concierge Smile Boutique for your sleep apnea treatment in Culver City. We are happy to answer any additional questions you may have. Contact us at our West Los Angeles dental practice for more information.