Sleep Apnea Specialist

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that impacts the quality of your sleep and the oxygen you get at night. Because of its impact on your oxygen intake, unmanaged sleep apnea can raise your blood pressure, cause heart problems, and even impact your eye health. 

Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common variety of sleep apnea, develops because of structural changes to your airways when you lay down and relax. 

Large tonsils, a thick neck, weight challenges, a small jaw, or a large tongue can all cause your airway to constrict or even close whenever you fall asleep. That makes it hard for you to breathe and get enough oxygen. 

As you sleep, your breathing regularly pauses. It can happen hundreds of times every night. While many people associate sleep apnea with snoring since it’s a relatively common symptom of the condition, breathing pauses are a more telltale sign of sleep apnea. Not everyone who snores has the condition and not everyone who has the condition snores. 

What are some signs of sleep apnea?

A partner or roommate might notice something is off with your breathing patterns before you have any idea that you have sleep apnea. They might express their concerns over the pauses in your breathing that they observe while you’re asleep. 

Even if you live alone or don’t sleep within earshot of others, there are some signs and symptoms of sleep apnea you might notice in yourself. You should let your providers at Constant and Contro Orthodontics know if you experience:

• Daytime drowsiness or fatigue
• Daytime irritability
• Morning dry mouth
• Sore throat in the morning
• Decreased libido
• Depression
• Headaches

Symptoms like these are ambiguous and don’t always due to sleep apnea. If you report them, your orthodontist at Constant and Contro Orthodontics might recommend a sleep evaluation to confirm the sleep apnea diagnosis. 

How is sleep apnea treated?

Orthodontic care for sleep apnea is simpler than you might expect. When you receive treatment for sleep apnea from an orthodontist, it doesn’t involve a loud, bulky, or inconvenient device like a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. 

Although many people find relief using CPAP, orthodontic treatment for sleep apnea is the better choice for others.

Constant and Contro Orthodontics treats sleep apnea using custom nighttime oral appliances. They make these appliances using impressions of your bite so they fit comfortably in your mouth throughout the night. 

The device holds your airway open by pushing your lower jaw slightly forward, which allows you to get the oxygen intake you need while you sleep. 

Airway orthodontics is a preventive treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. By addressing structural issues early, you can stop them from affecting your breathing later in life.

In serious cases, surgical orthodontics may be necessary to correct structural jaw issues leading to sleep apnea. 

If you rarely feel well-rested after a full night of sleep, obstructive sleep apnea may be to blame. To schedule an orthodontic consultation for sleep apnea treatment, call Constant and Contro Orthodontics or book a visit online today.