What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep Apnea Health Risks

Sleep apnea can affect adults or children. Untreated sleep apnea can contribute to several serious health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney problems, diabetes, depression and other medical complications. Pediatric sleep apnea has been linked to attention problems and behavior disorders in children. Learn more about the health risks associated with sleep apnea.

Common signs of sleep apnea include:

• Feeling sleepy or drowsy for most of the day
• Irritability and depression
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Chronic loud snoring interrupted by pauses and awakening gasping for air
• Waking up with a very dry or sore throat
• Frequent morning headaches

A diagnosis of sleep apnea is confirmed by medical professionals with a sleep study at a sleep testing facility. While you sleep, painless small sensors record your breathing patterns and oxygen levels, and you are monitored by sleep technicians. A sleep study helps the sleep specialist determine if you have sleep apnea, and if your condition is mild, moderate or severe.

We care about your health. If you are experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea, or your sleep partner reports that you snore loudly enough to drive them out of the room, please talk to your physician and ask about being screened for sleep apnea.

Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The standard recommended treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy. While asleep, the patient wears a breathing mask that is connected by a hose to a CPAP device that provides a continual, steady flow of gentle air pressure. As the patient breathes through the CPAP mask, the positive air pressure helps to keep the tongue and airway tissues in position to maintain an open airway and prevent blockage.

Some patients are not able to tolerate CPAP therapy due to the intrusiveness of the mask and equipment, or, related side effects such as dry mouth or sinus, or bloating due to ingesting air into the stomach. For cases of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, or for patients that are unable to use CPAP, the sleep physician may refer the patient to Dr. Chris Anderson for oral appliance therapy.

Based on the sleep physician's diagnosis and recommendations, Dr. Anderson can design an oral appliance that is worn over the teeth by the patient during sleep. The oral sleep appliance is designed to shift the jaw slightly forward to help maintain an open airway, and hold the tongue, palate and oral soft tissues in position to keep them from falling back and blocking the upper airway.

• To create the oral sleep appliance, Dr. Anderson will use our 3D scanning technology combined with CBCT radiographs to view a digital model of the teeth and oral structures. Oral sleep appliances are made of medical grade plastic and metal by our dental laboratory based on Dr. Anderson's specifications.

• The patient's response to oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea is monitored by the sleep physician and Dr. Anderson. Based on laboratory or home sleep studies, Dr. Anderson will make adjustments to the sleep appliance during regularly scheduled follow up visits at our Georgia Dental Medicine office.

The sleep physician will also recommend lifestyle changes as needed to help the patient improve sleep breathing health, such as losing weight, reducing alcohol intake, quitting smoking, or changing sleep position.