With snoring the most common and most noticeable symptom of sleep apnea, it can be difficult to determine if you’re just snoring or if you’re suffering from the condition of apnea. Due to this difficulty determining the cause of snoring, more than 80 percent of all apnea cases remain undiagnosed. If you suffer from snoring, it’s essential you learn whether or not it’s caused from sleep apnea. Snoring itself is harmless, but if it’s due to sleep apnea, you need immediate treatment to prevent potentially deadly complications. At Flenniken Family Dentistry, we offer sleep apnea treatment in Carlisle to help you rest more peacefully at night while reducing the complications associated with the condition.
What’s the Difference Between Sleep Apnea and Snoring?
Just about everyone snores at some point. Snoring is caused from tissues in the throat and airway that flap against one another. While snoring isn’t dangerous and is more of a nuisance than anything, it can be a sign of sleep apnea. Chronic snoring may be the result of an obstruction of the airway, which causes pauses in breathing that can last up to 20 seconds and occurs numerous times a night. When this occurs, it’s known as obstructive sleep apnea and treatment is needed to maintain proper oxygen levels. If apnea is left untreated, it will begin to produce a wide range of symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, dry mouth and decreased complications. In addition, the lack of oxygen can begin to cause serious implications on your health.
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Carlisle
Treatment for sleep apnea will require a visit to your Carlisle dentist. We will be able to effectively diagnoses whether or not you have apnea, or if you’re just experiencing snoring. If you have apnea, we will develop a treatment plan to help reduce the severity of the pauses in breathing.
To treat apnea, we use oral appliance therapy, which involves the use of a customized night guard that’s worn while sleeping. This helps keep the airways open while you sleep and is effective for mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea.
For more severe cases of sleep apnea, you may require the use of a CPAP machine. A CPAP machine consists of a mask that’s worn over the mouth and nose to deliver a steady stream of oxygen into the airways. Unlike previous forms of CPAP machines, now the machines are more comfortable to wear with many customization features to allow you to get a more restful night’s sleep. You’ll sleep soundly without concern as a gentle pressure of air works to prevent interruptions in breathing.
At Flenniken Family Dentistry, we not only provide comprehensive and comfortable dental care, but also treatment for sleep apnea. We’ll evaluate your individual needs to determine what’s causing your apnea to establish an effective course of treatment.
If you’re snoring excessively or suspect you may have sleep apnea, we encourage you to call our office today to schedule a consultation. The sooner sleep apnea is diagnosed, the quicker we can provide relief to restore your sleep and enjoyment of daily life.
