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Did you know that the only time the body can truly heal and repair itself is during sleep? You probably understand the importance of a good night’s sleep, but you may be surprised at how poor sleep can significantly impact your life.
You may not know that chronic snoring is the most common symptom of sleep apnea. This disorder can drastically reduce your quality of life, increase your risk of serious health problems, and even cause death. The good news is Dr. Robinson at Blue Sky Smiles has a simple solution.
To learn more about our quality, affordable sleep apnea treatment in Saginaw, TX, please schedule an appointment with us and speak to Dr. Robinson about any questions you may have. We will happily assist you!
There are three types of sleep apnea:
This type of sleep apnea happens when the muscles in the back of your throat relax, and your airway closes or narrows as you take a breath. The oxygen in your blood begins to drop because you can’t get enough air. The brain signals that you can’t breathe, which will wake you up so you can begin to breathe normally. Usually, you won’t remember waking up.
Some people experience gasping, snorting, or choking. All night long, this can repeat itself five to over 30 times every hour. This disrupts the deep, restful phase of sleep that your body needs.
This form of sleep apnea is less common and happens when your brain fails to transmit signals to the muscles that assist your breathing. Essentially, you make no conscious effort to breathe for a brief period of time. You may find yourself awake with shortness of breath and experience difficulty getting back to sleep.
This form of sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea. Repeated apneas persist when obstructive sleep apnea is destroyed with good airway pressure, usually in cases with no apparent cause for central apneas.
Sleep apnea causes low blood oxygen levels and prevents restful sleep each night, causing a slow decline of the immune system and increasing your risk for serious systemic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Thankfully, your Saginaw dentist can provide a simple, affordable solution – no CPAP necessary!
Dr. Robinson diagnoses sleep apnea by evaluating your bodily and breathing functions while you are asleep. Usually, this would involve overnight monitoring at a designated sleep clinic, but at-home sleep testing is also an option. The following tests determine whether you have sleep apnea:
Sleep apnea results in low blood oxygen levels, increasing your risk for serious health problems and a slow deterioration of the immune system. Sleep apnea amplifies the risk for the following conditions:
Some of the most common signs, symptoms, and characteristics of sleep apnea include:
Certain demographics have a higher risk of developing sleep apnea, and some lifestyle habits can contribute to the problem:
Traditionally, the “gold standard” for sleep apnea has been and continues to be the CPAP machine. CPAP stands for “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure” and is a machine that continuously delivers oxygenated air to your airways while sleeping.
While CPAP machines are highly effective when worn properly, most people find them too invasive to sleep comfortably. You have to wear a face mask connected to a tube, connected to a machine, connected to an electrical outlet. Talk about a nightmare!
Thankfully, your Saginaw dentist has a better solution with oral appliance therapy. Oral appliance therapy uses a small oral appliance, similar to a fancy mouthguard that you wear during sleep.
The device is custom designed to fit your mouth and gently shift the lower jaw forward. This mild adjustment of the lower jaw position is enough to prevent the airway from collapsing, allowing you to breathe comfortably throughout the night.
Because CPAP therapy is the most used sleep apnea treatment in the USA, it’s generally covered by most health insurance providers. Deductibles, coverage amounts, and copayments may vary depending on your insurance provider and state.
Give our dental office a call to learn more about your dental insurance options. We will happily assist you!
If you want to learn more about our high-quality, affordable sleep apnea treatment, give us a call or schedule a consultation today! Our friendly staff will happily assist you.
We look forward to meeting you and starting your smile journey together!
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*Dr. Robinson is a general dentist providing orthodontic services.