Is Sleep Apnea Reducing Your Quality of Life?

close up shot of man sleeping by snoring with mouth open during night - concept of relaxation, apnea and napping

Many of us take a good night’s sleep for granted until we no longer have it. This is the struggle of countless people dealing with sleep apnea. While sleep apnea and snoring may not seem like major health issues, they can actually lead to significant changes in mental and physical health. Because this condition can cause so many other harmful ailments, it’s crucial to seek treatment. At Indianapolis Sinus Center, we offer dental appliances for sleep apnea, as well as a range of other treatment approaches. We’re based on the south side of Indianapolis, and we’re glad to work with patients coming from across the city and surrounding areas. Learn more about dental appliances and how they can bring the relief you deserve.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is caused when an obstruction in the throat blocks the airway and temporarily stops breathing. People with this condition will wake up when a blockage occurs, even in the middle of the night. Being awoken allows you to start breathing again, but it also interrupts your sleep cycle and makes it difficult to wake up well-rested in the morning.

How Dental Appliances Prevent the Harmful Effects of Sleep Apnea

Thankfully, there are a few different dental appliances for sleep apnea that deliver results. Generally speaking, these appliances reposition the tongue and jaw to open up the airway and prevent obstructions in the throat. Dental appliances are a more personalized option and involve custom-fitted devices that are much more comfortable than a normal CPAP machine. Types of dental appliances include:

woman with insomnia
  • Mandibular Advancement Devices —This appliance is custom-designed to fit over your lower and upper teeth and promote proper breathing
  • Mouth Guards —This common approach to sleep apnea helps reposition the jaw. Although it may be less effective when compared with mandibular advancement devices, a mouth guard is more affordable.
  • Tongue-Retaining Devices —These appliances fit around the tongue and hold it out of your mouth during the night.

Dental appliances are:

  • Comfortable
  • Non-invasive
  • A safe alternative to CPAP
  • Small and easy to store
  • Effective
  • Able to reduce snoring and sleep apnea symptoms

To learn if you’re a candidate for dental appliances to treat your sleep apnea, continue reading below or schedule an appointment today with South Indiana ENT.

What Are the Benefits of Dental Sleep Appliance?

Dental sleep appliances are an effective treatment for sleep apnea and snoring, and they offer patients plenty of benefits. For one, dental appliances are non-invasive and mean you won’t require surgery to address sleep apnea. Moreover, this treatment approach is well-tolerated, and the majority of patients see improvement in their condition when using dental devices. A few more benefits of dental appliances include:

  • Silent—as opposed to a CPAP machine
  • Don’t require electricity
  • Easily portable
  • Small and easy to store
  • Reduction in sleep apnea symptoms

Why You Should Seek Treatment

Sleep apnea can quickly go from a minor inconvenience to a condition that controls your life. Not only does it cause discomfort in the short term, but a lack of sleep can result in lots of long-term complications. To avoid additional medical and mental health problems, it’s essential to seek treatment. Studies have shown that lack of sleep is often linked to the following conditions:

woman sleeping in bed at night
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Memory loss
  • Confusion
  • Weakened immune system
  • Fatigue
  • High cholesterol
  • Acid reflux
  • High blood pressure

Get in Touch With Our Team Today

Dental appliances for sleep apnea are a great way to get relief from a bothersome and potentially harmful condition. At Indianapolis Sinus Center, we’re committed to bringing our patients the gold standard in care, including custom dental appliances. Simply make an appointment with our office, and we’ll meet with you to go over your condition and treatment options. Contact our team today to learn more.

Partner with the Indianapolis Sinus Center to combat your sleep apnea symptoms.

The Indianapolis Sinus Center utilizes the best-in-class technology to effectively diagnose and treat sinus, snoring, and sleep apnea cases. As a patient, we work to provide you with the compassion and care that yields life-changing results.

Take control over your sleep apnea and snoring before it controls you!

Find out if dental appliances are the perfect solution for you. Request an appointment today to see if you are a candidate.

Resources

  1. The Effects of Sleep Apnea on the Body (Healthline)