Sleep Solutions in Holly Springs and Angier, NC
Are you suffering from a sleep related breathing problem like snoring or sleep apnea?
Signature Family Dentistry is pleased to be able to help patients seeking relief from sleep related breathing problems including snoring and sleep apnea. Uncomfortable and cumbersome CPAP machines are no longer the only option. There are other sleep solutions that can help!
Our practice specializes in fitting patients with a custom fabricated oral appliance to manage sleep apnea. The appliance works by holding your mandible (lower jaw) in a precise open and forward position and by doing so all the soft tissues in your throat and neck are no longer able to collapse and cause the nighttime choking and suffocating episodes. The appliance will be made to be a custom fit for your teeth and will fit much like a sports mouth guard. Oral appliances are a very comfortable and easy to use sleep solutions for managing sleep apnea and snoring. They can also be an excellent alternative to CPAP therapy for patients who find sleeping with a machine difficult. In 2015, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine issued updated practice parameters recommending the use of custom fabricated oral appliances made by specially trained dentists for patients with snoring and sleep apnea who prefer the mouthpiece over CPAP or who have tried CPAP and are unable to continue daily use.
What is sleep apnea?
We often see patients that are struggling with sleep apnea or other sleep related problems. Sleep apnea is when your body is essentially choking on itself and causing repeated episodes of partial or complete suffocation sometimes lasting a minute or more. This can cause a variety of health complications including increased risk of stroke, heart attack and even death. The cause of this collapse in the airway is usually due to the soft tissues in the mouth, tongue or throat closing down and blocking airflow during sleep. The first sign of this is usually snoring which happens when you are attempting to breathe through a narrow airway. If left untreated snoring often escalates to full OSA where the narrow airway is now completely blocked. Nearly 1 in 4 adults over 30 are unknowingly suffering from at least mild sleep apnea.
If you are experiencing the following symptoms, you may be suffering from sleep apnea:
- Snoring loudly (louder than a person talking or loud enough to be heard through closed doors)?
- Chronic fatigue. Do you often feel tired or sleepy throughout the day?
- Has your spouse or partner ever observed you stop or pause breathing in your sleep?
- Are you being treated for high blood pressure?
- Are you overweight or obese?
- Are you over 50 years old?
- Is your neck circumference greater than 16 inches?
- Are you male?
Contact us today to schedule a consultation to see if you are a candidate for a comfortable and easy to use oral device.