Sleep apnea is more than just a snore. When left untreated, it can reduce your quality of sleep and seriously affect your whole-body health. Our tailored treatments can help you breathe with ease so you can catch some zzz’s.
In the short term, sleep apnea can cause drowsiness and poor quality sleep. And in the long run, it can raise your risk of life-threatening conditions like heart attacks or strokes. Getting treatment means you'll be able to breathe properly, sleep easily, and take control of your health. No child or adult should be snoring. We can help both! Sleep Apnea leads to a variety of diseases and can decrease your life expectancy by 5-7 years on average.
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Without treatment, low-quality sleep can cause things like irritability, problems focusing, or even drowsiness when driving. But with proper sleep apnea treatment, you'll be able to sleep properly again. You'll feel rested after just 7-8 hours of sleep.
Sleep apnea treatment helps reduce your risk of health conditions like headaches, diabetes, heart attack and stroke, and more. You'll be able to breathe properly and without interruptions at night, which is great for your overall health.
Sleep apnea treatment helps you feel more energetic and get through the day more easily. It will be easier to do things like exercise and lose weight. Proper treatment may also help restore your libido and improve intimacy, since obstructive sleep apnea is often associated with low sex drive.
A sleep physician will evaluate your condition and perform a sleep test to see if you are struggling with sleep apnea or central sleep apnea. Some evaluations can even be done from the comfort of your own home.
Depending on your condition, your dental sleep medicine recommendations may differ. Patients with minor apnea may just need a special oral appliance from a dentist in Bellingham, WA , while those with more serious apnea may need treatment like a CPAP, or even oral surgery to remove some oral tissue. Your sleep specialist will make the appropriate recommendation..
If your sleep specialist recommends a retainer, orthodontics, or oral surgery, our team is here to help. We will work closely with you and your sleep specialist to help you control and manage your apnea.
Your sleep specialist and your sleep apnea dentist may make some lifestyle recommendations to help with obstructive sleep apnea. These may include quitting smoking, exercising, losing weight, avoiding drugs and alcohol (especially before bed), and sleeping on your side, rather than on your back or your stomach.
CPAP is short for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This is a apnea dental appliance that pumps a steady, gentle stream of pressurized air into your airway through a face mask. This stream prevents your airway tissue from collapsing, which prevents obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP therapy is usually recommended for patients with more severe sleep apnea.
Oral Appliance Therapy, or OAT for short, uses a special mouthguard. These oral appliances change the position of your jaw when you sleep, which prevents oral tissue from sagging into your airway. This means that your breathing won't be interrupted at night. OAT is ideal for patients with minor-to-moderate apnea.