Sleep Apnea Treatment Experts in East Bronx, New York

Do You Suffer From Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleeping condition that affects your ability to get a good night’s sleep. When you suffer from sleep apnea, you continuously stop and start breathing throughout the night. Many people are unaware that they have this condition. If your partner always complains about your loud, annoying snoring, you may have sleep apnea.

Take sleep apnea seriously, as it can affect your alertness during waking hours, too. Even more surprising is the effect the condition has on your teeth. Teeth grinding and clenching is often an unintended consequence for people suffering from sleep apnea. Called bruxism, this grinding causes tooth pain and even jaw pain. The constant wear on your teeth can even lead to tooth loss.

If you don’t address sleep apnea, you may develop life-threatening diseases in addition to tooth loss, such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and depression. It can also cause you to fall asleep while driving. But your family dentist at Hutchinson Metro Dental in Bronx, NY is a sleep apnea dental appliance expert. They can diagnose and treat your sleep disorder.

Types of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea affects more than 18 million Americans. Sleep apnea treatment options depend on the cause of your condition. To reach an accurate diagnosis, Dr. Victoria Kushensky, your Bronx, NY family cosmetic and implant dentist, first completes a survey of your sleep patterns to determine what’s causing you to stop and start breathing in the night.

There are several kinds of sleep apnea, each causing different symptoms. Each set of symptoms helps your dentist figure out which type is afflicting you. The types of sleep apnea and their associated symptoms include:

Obstructive sleep apnea develops when the throat muscles relax so much that your tongue, uvula, tonsils or soft palate obstructs the airway. This makes you stop breathing every 10 to 20 seconds. An obstructive sleep apnea dental appliance is an effective sleep apnea treatment.
Central sleep apnea occurs when your brain doesn’t send the right signal to the muscles that control your breathing. Treatment may include an oral dental appliance for sleep apnea and other obstructive sleep apnea treatments.
Complex sleep apnea syndrome is when you’re suffering from a combination of types of sleep apnea. Even in this case, a dental appliance can help you get a good night’s sleep.

Tell-Tale Signs of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can affect anyone, but the condition is more prevalent in younger men than seniors and women. Also, if you’re African American, Hispanic or Native American, you’re more susceptible. Sleep apnea is hereditary, so if your parents had the condition, you may too. Signs you may have sleep apnea include:

Chronic loud snoring
Gasping for air while you sleep
Stop-and-start breathing patterns
Fatigue and sleepiness throughout the day
Dry mouth when you wake up
Headaches
Difficulty with concentration, memory, motor and verbal skills

Obesity, excessive use of alcohol and smoking increase your risk of developing the condition. Signs that sleep apnea is affecting your oral health are often caught during routine check-ups with your dentist in Bronx, NY. Severe tooth nerve pain, bleeding gums and bad breath can signal your dentist to talk to you about your sleeping.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Any sleep apnea treatment involves a thorough medical and physical examination, along with an overnight sleep study at a nearby sleep center. Once you receive an affirmative diagnosis, then your dentist recommends various treatments. Some of the new sleep apnea treatment options available include:

A mandibular reposition mouthpiece, which you place on your upper and lower teeth to prevent your jaw from blocking the airway passage
A tongue-retaining device, which keeps your tongue flat so that it doesn’t block the airway
A continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP), a mask you wear that covers your nose and/or mouth that blows air into your airway to keep it open while you sleep
Lifestyle modifications that include losing weight, quitting smoking and reducing your alcohol intake

Your sleep apnea dental appliance cost depends on the recommendation of your family dentist in Bronx, NY. The cost may be covered by your insurance. Talk to Dr. Victoria Kushensky at Hutchinson Metro Dental about payment options to help defray the costs. Don’t ignore the problem because of the costs.