Our patient Marie came into our office a few months ago for her regular semi-annual check-up. As we were examining her teeth, she just happened to mention that she was feeling exhausted, because she hadn’t had a good night sleep in months. It seems that Marie was waking in the middle of the nights, and—according to her husband—snoring non-stop in her sleep. Marie was just making small talk, but the information she gave us strongly suggested that she might be suffering from sleep apnea.

Our Sullivan sleep apnea dentists recommended that Marie begin the process of being assessed and treated for sleep apnea. Although Marie desperately wanted to find relief from her sleep disturbances, she was apprehensive about one thing—“Am I going to have to wear one of those CPAP things?” she asked.

Traditionally, obstructive sleep apnea has been treated with something called a CPAP machine. The CPAP machine works via a face mask that the patient wears at night. The CPAP machine delivers a steady stream of air to the longs, preventing soft tissue from obstructing the airway. Although this machine is somewhat effective, it is often noisy, cumbersome, and uncomfortable to wear, leading to low compliance rates among patients.

Luckily for Marie we are now able to treat many cases of obstructive sleep apnea with simple and comfortable dental appliances. Sleep apnea oral appliances are designed like retainers or mouth guards. They hold the mouth and soft tissues in optimal position to keep the airway clear and prevent breathing obstructions and snoring.

After evaluating Marie’s sleep apnea symptoms, we found that she was a candidate for a sleep apnea oral appliance. In weeks she was breathing better and waking up feeling energized and invigorated—all thanks to a small mouth guard! Don’t struggle unnecessarily with sleep apnea symptoms, give our Sullivan sleep apnea dentists a call today—(573) 321-4008 .