Can Your Orthodontist Help with Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a very serious disorder in which a person may repeatedly stop and then start breathing again while asleep. Sleep apnea is often associated with people who snore loudly, as these occurrences tend to go hand-in-hand.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a result of muscle relaxing and causing the soft tissue in the back of the throat to block the upper airway. As this blockage progresses, decreased oxygen to the brain causes activity and the sleeper to stir, returning normal muscle function and resuming to breathe.
In people suffering from severe sleep apnea, this can happen many times a night.
Central sleep apnea is the result of your brain not properly sending nervous impulses to the muscles that control breathing while you sleep. Complex sleep apnea syndrome occurs in those who suffer from both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
There are many options in helping reduce obstructive sleep apnea, including lifestyle changes, CPAP machines, and even surgical options. However, one solution that many people might forget to consider, are orthodontic treatments.
An orthodontist is able to assess your mouth and airways and determine possible reasons for why you might be suffering from sleep apnea. Based on this assessment, orthodontists are able to provide dental appliances which are worn at night. These appliances will hold your mouth and jaw in a position that reduces or completely prevents your airway from closing, thus reducing or altogether preventing sleep apnea.
If you or a loved one suffer from sleep apnea, you may consider visiting your orthodontist and looking into safe, and non-invasive options.
