What is Moderate Sleep Apnea, and How Can a Prosthodontist Help?
Aug 01, 2023
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder. It occurs when breathing stops and starts continuously during sleep. You can have over one hundred such episodes. Sleep apnea significantly impacts the quality of sleep. It’s characterized by loud snoring and tiredness during the day. If you notice the slightest sleep apnea symptoms, visit a and talk to an experienced sleep expert. This article highlights moderate sleep apnea and how a prosthodontist can help provide effective treatment.
Sleep apnea can be either mild, moderate or severe. For mild sleep apnea, you can manage your sleep apnea with simple lifestyle modifications or a sleep appliance. However, moderate or severe sleep apnea requires immediate intervention. Earlier intervention increases the chances for rapid and successful treatment. If you need sleep apnea treatment in Calgary, Northwest Prosthodontics has a prosthodontist near you to treat your symptoms.
Effects of Moderate/Severe Sleep Apnea
- Increases the probability of cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and stroke
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Daytime sleepiness and feeling tired
- Frequent headaches
- Diabetes
- Grinding your teeth
- Acid reflux
- Snoring
- Difficulty concentrating
If you notice two or more of these symptoms, give us a call for evaluation to determine if you are potentially suffering from sleep apnea. You can treat moderate to severe sleep apnea using several techniques. They include,
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) – a wearable mask you wear at night, delivering continuous air pressure while you sleep. It prevents the airway from collapsing and allows a seamless flow of air. A CPAP machine greatly improves your quality of life by minimizing respiratory events during sleep. It is a very popular and the most successful sleep apnea treatment method.
- Oral appliances – an alternative to using CPAP machines to treat moderate to severe sleep apnea. These appliances keep the airway open by pushing the lower jaw slightly forward. Overall, oral appliances also reduce sleep apnea symptoms like snoring and improve your quality of life.
- Surgery – Surgical sleep apnea treatment is effective but only recommended as a last result due to its invasiveness. It’s usually used when all other therapies have failed.
How Can a Prosthodontist Help?
A prosthodontist is a dentist specializing in diagnosing and treating facial and dental disorders. They can help treat sleep apnea by developing custom oral appliances that prevents your airway from collapsing during sleep. Custom-made devices contain plastic or acrylic material. You only wear them at night.
There are various types of oral appliances used to treat moderate sleep apnea. They include;
- Tongue retaining devices (TRDs) – TRDs are appliances that hold your tongue in the correct position keeping your airway open.
- Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) – MADs are oral appliances that adjust the lower jaw, pushing it forward to open the airway. This is the most common oral appliance
- Palatal expanders – these appliances widen your palate, thus opening the airway.
Prosthodontists help you select the right oral device for your individual needs. They also can fit and adjust it to be comfortable and effective. Prosthodontists are valuable assets for sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Prosthodontist
For better treatment outcomes, it’s better to seek the services of a professional prosthodontist. You must observe several factors to ensure you get the best prosthodontist near you. They include the following:
- Experience – Ensure that the sleep specialist from whom you seek services is well-qualified and has practiced for several years.
- Qualifications – Ensure you seek services from a doctor with all the necessary qualifications and are authorized to practice.
- Reviews – before choosing a prosthodontist, always check patient reviews to ensure they are quality of their work.
Conclusion
Moderate or severe sleep apnea is a condition that, if not treated, can cause severe symptoms, some of which can be life-threatening. When ignored, it could lead to serious health complications such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. You should thus seek treatment in a sleep clinic as soon as you notice the first signs of moderate or severe sleep apnea. You are assured of comprehensive and personalized interventions once you visit a reputable facility such as Northwest Prosthodontics.