Sleep Apnea making you tired and restless? Your dentist can help!

Do you constantly feel tired and restless all the time? Has your partner or roommate mentioned that you snore loud in your sleep? Do you have disturbed sleep, or do you often wake up in the middle of the night to catch your breath? All this could be signs of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition where the muscles around your tongue and throat relax - causing the tissues to block the airflow to your lungs.

Treatment for Sleep Apnea

The first place to head to when you are doubtful or are diagnosed with sleep apnea is a sleep clinic. At a sleep clinic, professionals conduct tests and chalk out a treatment plan. The treatment options for sleep apnea are many - the most popular of which is the CPAP machine that blows air into the lungs to prevent the closure of the airway.

Dental Appliances and Mouthguards for Sleep Apnea

If the CPAP machine does not work for you or you suffer from mild to moderate sleep apnea, oral appliances can be chosen as an effective treatment option. Dental devices provided and monitored by dentists with specialization in sleep medicine have proven effective. In fact, it is known to work better than surgery that entails the removal of soft tissue from the back of the throat.

Oral appliances built to treat sleep apnea are:

• Mandibular Advancement Device

The MAD is a device very similar to mouth guards used by sportspersons. They fit over the upper and lower jaw, with metal hinges that ease the lower jaw for movement.

• Tongue Retaining Device

This oral device is basically a splint that holds the tongue down so that it does not fall back into the throat and block the airway.

Thus, a dentist can step in to help you with sleep apnea. The treatment varies from person to person based on the severity of the condition, the structure of the upper airway, conditions one may suffer from, and so on. The combined efforts of a sleep physician and specialized dentist can help treat sleep apnea, leaving you refreshed in the mornings and renewed to resume activities as usual.