Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition. It happens when you have periods of time while sleeping that you stop breathing. This is not something you want to happen.

The good news is there are ways to treat sleep apnea. It surprises many people to find out that a visit to our office is one of the things they can do to treat their sleep apnea. We offer a variety of options to help figure out why sleep apnea occurs and how we can do something about it.

Before you get treatment for sleep apnea, you should know why it happens. People with sleep apnea have short periods of time where they stop breathing while they sleep. The cause of sleep apnea is the air becomes blocked. The position of the jaw can cause the blockage. It is also a result of the tongue or the tissue of the upper mouth blocking the airway. In order for a person to start breathing again. The blockage has to clear itself.

A sleep study helps to diagnose sleep apnea. Once the diagnosis is in, a plan for treatment can happen. In our office, we can offer a few types of treatment. If the position of the jaw causes the sleep apnea, it is possible to perform procedures that correct the position.

An easier for of treatment is to make an oral appliance. These are mouthguards that are custom fit. They can force the jaw forward slightly to keep the airway open. They can also prevent the tissue or tongue from blocking the airway. All they require is making a mold in our office. The mold allows us to make the mouthguard. The only thing you have to do is wear the mouthguard while you sleep. For many people this is all they need to do to correct the problem of sleep apnea.

For more information about this or any other oral health issue, contact our office to schedule an appointment.