Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea Therapy
One out of four adult Americans have some form of sleep apnea. When you stop and think about it, we all know someone who snores or has trouble sleeping. Many resort to sleep medications or simply do nothing and continue living with this subtle handicap.
What most people are unaware of is that a very high percentage of those that snore, or have trouble sleeping, also suffer from a more serious disorder called sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is episodes of partial or total stopping of breathing during sleep. These episodes disrupt healthy sleep patterns and put the body into a constant state of fatigue. Not only does sleep apnea affect day to day life, it also causes some severe health conditions such as:
· Diabetes
· High blood pressure
· Heart problems
· Lack of oxygen to the brain, causing seizures and strokes
· Heart attacks
· Possibility of sudden death
These are pretty serious and scary health conditions. The sad thing is, is that so many people go through their life experiencing and suffering from these serious problems all because of a sleep disorder... one that can be fixed.
Some of the signs and symptoms associated with sleep apnea are:
· Snoring
· Excessive daytime sleepiness
· Gasping or choking during the night
· Depression
· Irritability
· Decreased sex drive
· Headaches
· Thick neck
· Grinding of teeth
The traditional medical treatment for this disorder is a CPAP machine - this is a machine that places a continuous positive airway pressure through a face mask and hose attached to a specialized air pump. Though the CPAP is very effective, most people find it to be awkward, uncomfortable, and that it interferes with their lifestyle - thus most people become non complaint or non tolerant with the CPAP.
Fortunately, there are several custom dental appliance designs can treat the majority of these disorders, while being much more lifestyle friendly. Thes appliances are comfortable, unobtrusive, and has a high rate of patient compliance. Most of our patients tell us that they are sleeping better than they ever have before.
Dr. Hoang has studied sleep apnea and its treatment and has been through extensive training. He understands the importance of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea and offers complimentary consultations to evaluate if his patients could benefit from his treatment.
We are here to provide the answers to your questions and find the best treatments for all of our patients. If any of this article is familiar to you or a loved one, we would be happy to see you and find the best solution to live a healthier life.
Please take a minute to watch our patient testimonial video below as well: