Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a potentially fatal disorder characterized by repeated stops in your breathing when you sleep. These pauses can occur repeatedly throughout the night, up to 30 times per hour or more. Each pause can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. This disturbance in your breathing causes an imbalance in your blood oxygen levels. When the brain notices this imbalance, it sends a message to the body to wake up and start breathing. As a result, people with sleep apnea wake up partially to breathe, often with a choking sensation or noisy snoring. Most often, people don’t even realize they have the problem.

Two types of sleep apnea exist. Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a rare syndrome that occurs when the brain fails to send signals to the respiratory muscles. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when air doesn’t flow freely through the nose or mouth. OSA is more common and can easily be treated using a dental appliance called mandibular advancement device (MAD).

Most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea:

• Snoring or snorting
• Morning headaches
• Fatigue and sleepiness
• Insomnia

If you think you might suffer from OSA, talk to one of the professionals at our dental clinic. We have the expertise and the technology to help address this condition.