Before Oral Appliance Therapy
Narrowed airway, Decreased airflow, Poor Sleep
Narrowed airway, Decreased airflow, Poor Sleep
Open airway, Increased airflow, Better Sleep
The muscles that keep your airway open during the day are relaxed while you sleep. This causes tissue to vibrate along the narrow portions of your airway during your sleep resulting in snoring. Snoring may be one of many signs of serious medical condition called sleep apnea. A diagnosis of snoring often times is referred to as “primary snoring.” Just because you snore does not mean you have sleep apnea and not everyone who has sleep apnea snores. If you snore, you may be high risk for sleep apnea and a sleep study is needed to determine if you have a sleep disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea is a serious medical condition that results in decreased oxygen reaching the brain due to interruptions in breathing. Each time normal breathing stops, the brain is depleted of oxygen and is unable to send “distress signals” to the muscles in the airway to open. These episodes can last more than 10 seconds and can occur hundreds of times a night even though most people who suffer from sleep apnea do not remember gasping or snorting during the night. As a result, these patients wake up feeling groggy and experience excessive daytime sleepiness along with many other signs and symptoms. Sleep apnea can also lead to or cause high blood pressure, acid reflux, diabetes and many other chronic disease. Studies have shown that sleep apnea affects over 20% over the U.S. population. You may suffer from sleep apnea and not even know it. A sleep study is needed to determine if you have a sleep disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea.