Your Sleep Tonight sleep dentist  collaborates with a sleep physician to ensure that you are properly diagnosed and treated.  

 

What causes obstructive sleep apnea?

When you sleep, your body is completely relaxed — even the muscles that help you breathe. In people with sleep apnea, these relaxed muscles combine with a narrowed airway to interrupt breathing.

 

Anyone at any age can have obstructive sleep apnea, but it's most common in middle-aged and older adults. Only about 2% of children have obstructive sleep apnea. It's also more common in men than in women.

 

But what's frightening is that as many as 90% of people who have obstructive sleep apnea don't know that they have it. Untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems.

 

If you experience fatigue, you may be at risk for sleep apnea.  If obstructive sleep apnea persists over a long period without treatment, you're at risk for major health problems and serious events. These can include cardiovascular problems like heart failure and increased blood pressure.  

 

How is obstructive sleep apnea treated?

These are common treatments to maintain consistent breathing and stop or reduce apnea episodes:

 

Sleeping with a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine and mask – this treatment provides a constant flow of air to help keep your airway open

 

Wearing an oral appliance, a custom-fit mouthpiece your dentist or orthodontist can make for you to keep airways open while you sleep

 

Several types of surgery can be done to treat obstructive sleep apnea:

 

In today’s world of social distancing, the easiest, least invasive way to get the treatment you need is an oral appliance as prescribed by a physician.  With Sleep Tonight, you have a one-stop shop where the physician and dentist collaborate to ensure that you can get tested at home and treated with only 2 brief appointments with your dentists.  In some cases, Sleep Tonight dentists even make hourse calls! !!**??