Dubuque Dentist Oral Sleep Apnea Appliance

The Danger of Snoring: Dubuque Dentist provides Snoring and Oral Sleep Apnea Appliance

Sleep Apnea appliance

Barry wakes up several times a night with a sharp pain in his side.  He doesn’t sleep well because of it.   The source of the stabbing pain?  It comes from his wife whose elbow jabs him in the ribs because his loud snoring wakes her up. The sore ribs are one problem.  The wife who can’t sleep is a worse problem.   But the most dangerous problem is the snoring, may indicate a life-threatening condition called sleep apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) refers to the inability to breathe due to an abnormal upper airway. People with OSA stop breathing multiple times in one hour for more than ten seconds each time.  It is estimated that 1 in 5 adults may suffer from sleep apnea.

Untreated sleep apnea can be associated with the following:

  • heart attack
  • stroke
  • high blood pressure
  • diabetes
  • acid reflux

Poor sleep quality also leads to morning headaches, depression, impaired concentration, decreased sex drive, and frequent night urination.  Sleep apnea results in daytime sleepiness that increases the risk of auto accidents and accidents at work.

A specialist physician must make the diagnosis of sleep apnea.  Treatment options for OSA include CPAP, surgery, or oral appliance therapy.

A CPAP machine delivers pressured air through a mask.  The CPAP machine is very effective for treating obstructive sleep apnea.  However, some people stop using the CPAP because the CPAP can be noisy, cumbersome, difficult to travel with, limit speaking or drinking, and limit sleeping positions.

Sleep Apnea Appliance

If a person is not able to use the CPAP, dentists can fabricate a custom oral appliance that will help open the airway, decrease snoring, and decrease the severity of OSA.  In February 2006, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine stated that oral appliances are appropriate for FIRST line treatment of mild to moderate OSA, and for patients who fail treatment such as CPAP and/or surgery.

Many oral appliances are FDA approved and their success is supported by research.  Oral appliance therapy is 96% successful for treating snoring, and reduces the need for surgery & medications.

If you or a loved one snores, talk to a specialist physician, have a sleep test done, and ask Dr. Kristen Berning if you are a candidate for an oral appliance.  Thousands of Americans aren’t getting a good night’s sleep… and they are putting their health and their relationships at risk.

Dr. Kristen Berning offers free consultations to discuss the snoring and obstructive sleep apnea appliance.

Exceptional Dentistry provides complete family, cosmetic, tooth whitening, implant, orthodontic, sleep apnea and snoring oral appliance, and sedation dental care at 4200 Asbury Road, Dubuque, IA 52002 and serves the Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Dubuque, IA and Galena, IL areas.  To schedule an appointment with Dr. Ted Murray or Dr. Kristen Berning, or Dr. Alexia Oetken please call 563-556-2711 or contact us online.

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