Treating Your Sleep Apnea

Have you decided that a CPAP machine isn't for you? You're not alone. Many people find it difficult to sleep while hooked up to the machines. Green Bay, WI, dentist Dr. Adam Pasono explains why sleep apnea treatment is so important and explain how a visit to the dentist can help you.

Sleep apnea deprives your brain of oxygen

Snoring isn't your only problem if you have sleep apnea. The condition causes you to stop breathing hundreds of time during the night. Every jerk or gasp while you sleep is your body's way of forcing you to breathe again. Even if you don't wake up gasping or choking, you may still experience the negative effects of sleep apnea.

When the alarm rings in the morning, you may still feel tired, despite going to bed at a reasonable hour. You might also notice that you have a headache that gradually goes away during the morning. Although you may only stop breathing for seconds at a time, those seconds add up to hours of oxygen deprivation.

Oxygen deprivation can have some very serious effects on your health. In fact, people who have sleep apnea are more likely to become obese, develop high blood pressure or diabetes and experience an increased risk of heart disease or stroke. The longer your condition is untreated, the greater the chance that you'll develop one of these complications.

An oral appliance may be the answer to your problem

If you couldn't adjust to your CPAP machine, you may feel like a failure. After all, the smiling people in all the advertisements seem perfectly happy sleeping with masks over their faces. No matter how easy the CPAP process may appear, the reality is that it's not always comfortable to sleep with a mask or deal with the noise the machine produces, even if you select one of the quieter models.

Luckily, there's a low-tech option that offers an effective solution to your problem. During a visit to our Green Bay office, we can fit you with an oral appliance designed for sleep apnea treatment. The device fits snugly over your teeth. When you wear it, it moves your jaw forward, which opens your airway and prevents your tongue from falling back against your throat. Many people who haven't been able to use a CPAP machine can successfully control their sleep apnea symptoms with the appliance.

Would you like to find out if an oral appliance is an effective sleep apnea treatment for you? Call Green Bay, WI, dentists Dr. Adam Pasono at (920) 432-8492 to schedule an appointment.