Sleep Apnea/Snoring Treatment in Aurora, ON
When should you or your partner be concerned about snoring? Did you know that frequent, loud snoring may be a sign of sleep apnea?
Learn how to recognize the warning signs of sleep apnea, how to distinguish it from normal snoring, and what you can do about it.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common and potentially serious medical disorder where breathing stops and starts repeatedly during your sleep. These breathing pauses briefly become very shallow, typically lasting between 10 to 20 seconds and may occur hundreds of times in a night. This disrupts your natural sleep rhythm and results in less deep, restorative sleep you need to be energetic, mentally sharp, and productive.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Look for these main signs and symptoms of sleep apnea:
- Chronic and loud snoring
- Choking, snorting, or gasping during sleep
- Long pauses in breathing
- Daytime sleepiness
- Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Morning headaches
- Low quality sleep
- Insomnia or nighttime awakenings
- Frequent trips to the bathroom during the night
- Waking up feeling tired
- Forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating
- Moodiness, irritability, or depression
Dental devices for sleep apnea
For mild to moderate sleep apnea, custom dental appliance are effective to help you stop snoring and overcome sleep apnea. A sleep study will diagnose the cause of apnea.
Most dental devices are acrylic and fit inside your mouth, much like an athletic mouth guard. These devices open your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep. It is very important to get fitted by a dentist specializing in sleep apnea, and to see the dentist on a regular basis for any dental problems that may occur. You may also need to periodically have your dentist adjust the mouthpiece to fit better.
The main way that appliances work is by preventing the tissues at the back of the throat and the base of the tongue from collapsing back into the airway. These appliances take the lower jaw forward, bringing the tongue with it, thereby clearing the airway at the back of the throat.