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Understanding Sleep Apnea

Understanding Sleep Apnea Q&A

Many patients benefit from dental sleep apnea treatment. If you’ve been struggling with sleep apnea, Contact us at Beyond Dental & Implant Center or schedule an appointment online. We provide an especially effective alternative to CPAP therapy in oral appliance therapy. We are conveniently located at 13655 Preston Rd Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75240.

Understanding Sleep Apnea Near Me in Dallas, TX
Understanding Sleep Apnea Near Me in Dallas, TX

Table of Contents:

Can the way I breathe contribute to sleep apnea?
What can cause an upper airway restriction?
What is the conventional treatment for sleep apnea?
What is oral appliance therapy?
Who can provide oral appliance therapy?
What can you tell me about your prices?
Where can I get sleep apnea treatment in Dallas, TX?
Understanding sleep apnea
Patient risk factors
Treatment benefits
What can I do about snoring?
How oral sleep appliance works?
How does snoring indicate obstructive sleep apnea?

For many patients with sleep apnea, conventional therapies just don’t work for them. Here at Beyond Dental, we have the solution for these patients. Our professionals are trained to treat and manage snoring, sleep-disordered breathing, sleep apnea, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with oral appliance therapy. If you’d like to learn more about this treatment option for sleep apnea, then contact us today or read on to learn more.

Can the way I breathe contribute to sleep apnea?

In a simple answer yes! If you are a mouth breather, you may be more susceptible to sleep apnea. Why? Your upper airway becomes restricted, this could be due to an irregular tongue function and position among other possible issues. This is also what causes snoring, as your upper airway and nasal corridor become restrained this will cause you to breathe through your mouth. Breathing through your mouth is the only way you can obtain sufficient oxygen for the lungs. Upper airway issues can occur in adults as well as children.

To obtain the optimum amount of oxygen you should breathe through the nose without utilizing your mouth i.e. Keep your mouth closed. This is the best way to maximize your oxygen intake. If you are a chronic mouth breather you can develop issues with your teeth and jaws. Children especially may experience issues in the development of their teeth due to the way their dental arches form as a chronic mouth breather. If not treated this can lead to SMD, Sleep Disordered Breathing which leads to sleep apnea and snoring.

Our expert dentists at Beyond Dental and Implant Center can help diagnose and treat the issue.

What can cause an upper airway restriction?

There are a variety of issues that can cause upper airway restrictions. One of the most common is the tongue, if it is irregular in position and size it can cause airway restrictions. Other causes can include;

• Deviated septum
• Tonsils or enlarged adenoids
• Chronic allergies
• Turbinates

Chronic mouth breathing especially can cause dental problems. In extreme cases, the patients can develop an “open bite” and a “v” shape mouth. Posture can also be affected as patients will lean forward with their head and mouth in an attempt to obtain more oxygen while breathing through the mouth.

What is the conventional treatment for sleep apnea?

You might have already heard about CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy for moderate to severe sleep apnea. This conventional form of therapy is commonly recommended by professionals, but it doesn’t work for every patient, and many patients hate using their CPAP machine. Some of these patients have issues with their temporomandibular joint (TMJ), while others might have other oral or dental issues, any of which can contribute to sleep apnea. To treat these problems, oral appliance therapy is often the best treatment option.

What is oral appliance therapy?

Unlike the CPAP machine, an oral appliance is easy to use and unobtrusive. It’s also custom-made to fit your mouth without any discomfort, and it’s inconspicuous too! The appliance can be used to treat both sleep apnea and snoring, so you and your partner will be able to enjoy a sound sleep. Oral appliance therapy has the following advantages over other methods:

• Comfort
• Ease of use
• Silence during the use
• Portability
• Inconspicuousness
• Affordability
• Allows the patient to sleep in any position

Oral appliance therapy is a proven method for treating many cases of sleep apnea. It is also approved by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. For common or even complex problems with the TMJ, teeth, or mouth, oral appliance therapy can work wonders. For many of these problems, patients will experience immediate relief, and after 3 months, many patients will be symptom-free.

We provide oral appliance therapy at Beyond Dental and Implant Center. We offer An house discount plan & also accepted Medicaid. Not many dentists are able to provide this treatment option. Our Beyond Dental Savings plan is also accepted for oral appliance therapy. Contact our staff for more detailed information about our savings plan.

Who can provide oral appliance therapy?

This form of therapy can be provided only by fully qualified dental experts with certification and skills in dental sleep medicine. It is uncommon to find a dentist with this kind of skill, but here at Beyond Dental, we have one of these dentists!

At our office, Dr.Cory Nguyen DDS, FAAID, DABOI/ID, DABDSM is an expert in Dental Sleep Medicine. He also is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine who is best qualified to provide oral appliance therapy. He has been serving patients in the DFW area since 2005 and is fully capable of helping you with issues with your sleep, teeth, mouth, jaw, or TMJ. The doctor is constantly upgrading his skills so he can provide his patients with the finest care possible, and this is why he completed advanced training in sleep dentistry, neuromuscular dentistry, and physiologic occlusion, which is the science of healthy chewing. Dr. Nguyen’s methods are safe, effective, and in harmony with your biological systems and overall health. Reach out to the doctor to learn more about how he can help you with your sleep apnea or another health issue.

We also offer our Patients’ Guide to Sleep Apnea Treatment, a free eBook about sleep apnea, how it can affect your health, and what you can do about it so you can sleep soundly. When you treat your sleep apnea properly, it can make a night-and-day difference in your life. Contact our office today to get this guide and learn just about everything we can teach you about sleep apnea.

What can you tell me about your prices?

Beyond Dental also offer in-house dental savings plans that have no deductible, no annual maximum, no policy limitations, no waiting period, and savings of 20-40% off of many procedures and treatments. If you’d like to learn more about this plan with us, get in touch with us today.

Where can I get sleep apnea treatment in Dallas, TX?

You can come to us here at Beyond Dental for sleep apnea treatment with oral appliance therapy. Dr. Cory Nguyen, DDS would be more than happy to speak with you about your sleep apnea, and he’s more than qualified to determine the underlying cause of your particular case. If you both decide that oral appliance therapy is the best treatment option for you, then he can provide it!

Understanding sleep apnea

Apnea is the cessation of breathing while sleeping.

Central apnea is a result of intermittent mechanical obstruction of the airways. While asleep the tongue and soft palate are usually relaxed, but too much can cause a collapse and block airflow. Other contributing factors are large tonsils, large tongue, small mouth, large uvula, nasal obstruction, recessed chin, and aging.

Sleep apnea is defined as 80%- 100% less airflow. This event may be classified as an apparent stoppage of breathing for as long as 10 seconds and then followed by gasping or choking.

Hypopnea Is a 30 – 80% blockage of airflow for as long as 10 seconds and is accompanied by desaturation of 3 – 4%. This is often characterized as snoring.

A partial collapse of the pharyngeal structure causes the noise we know as snoring. Snoring can tend to be loud enough to disrupt others. Many but not all people that snore have apnea. Apnea, hypopnea, and snoring all result in sleep fragmentation, recurring its restorative qualities.

There are many treatments available for sleep apnea including continuous positive airway pressure CPAP, lifestyle changes, and surgery. Oral is less invasive, more comfortable, and often more suitable for mild to moderate sleep apnea.

Patient risk factors

People with sleep apnea are associated with high risk for:

• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Gastric reflux
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Morning headache
• Cognitive/ memory problems
• Depression and anxiety
• Weight gain
• Dorsey driving
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Job impairment
• Sexual dysfunction

Treatment benefits

With successful treatment for apnea, breathing while sleeping becomes easier and more regular as well the snoring stops. Blood oxygen levels become normal and fluctuations are diminished. Quality of sleep and life is improved. Risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and vehicle accidents are reduced.

All patients can benefit from lifestyle changes, these include weight loss, regular exercise, avoidance of alcohol within 4 hours of bedtime, good sleep, hygiene habits, and the no caffeine at all, sedatives, or hypnotic drugs that make the airway more prone to collapse during sleep.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do about snoring?

If you feel that your snoring is a problem, discuss it with your dentist or doctor. You may be a suitable candidate for the oral sleep appliance (oral airway dilator) which is one of the most efficient and effective methods for treating primary snoring.

How oral sleep appliance works?

The oral sleep appliance is provided by your dentist and works by moving your lower jaw and tongue forward, thereby creating more space for you to properly breathe during the night. This will help reduce or eliminate snoring. However, you must be aware that snoring can indicate a more serious problem called Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

How does snoring indicate obstructive sleep apnea?

Snoring and OSA are similar respiratory sleep disorders:

• Snoring occurs when the air your breathe vibrates the tissues of the airway due to blocked or narrowed airways (nose, mouth, or throat).
• OSA occurs when your breathing regularly stops or is slowed for 10 seconds or longer due to blocked or narrowed airways (nose, mouth, or throat).

Airways blockage may be caused by excess tissue in the throat or nasal passages, large tonsils, and/ or adenoids prior orthodontics can also result in airway blockage, especially if permanent teeth were extracted or if there have been changes to the actual structure.

The first step is to make a simple consultation with the doctor. Beyond Dental in Dallas, TX to meet your dental needs. Located at 13655 Preston Rd Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75240. To book your consultation, please call us. We serve patients from Dallas TX, Plano TX, Addison TX, Garland TX, Richardson TX, Carrollton TX, and BEYOND!

Our staff is standing by to take your call, and Dr. Nguyen is standing by to meet you soon here at Beyond Dental and Implant Center!