Before beginning sleep apnea dental treatment it's first necessary to properly diagnose what kind of sleep apnea you have, if any at all. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that can be fatal if nothing is done about. What happens with sleep apnea is that basically you stop breathing for short periods at night. There are two forms of sleep apnea; central and obstructive. Central sleep apnea cannot be treated through dentistry because with this form of sleep apnea the brain does not send the correct signals to the breathing muscles.
Sleep apnea dental treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form, however, is possible. With obstructive sleep apnea the air passage is blocked, often by the patients tongue falling back into the back of the mouth. This can create loud snoring and often a feeling as if you are being choked. This can cause a person to wake suddenly and violently. More often than not the pauses cause a person simply to wake many times each night so often the symptoms are confused with insomnia.
Sleep apnea dental treatment can involve a number of solutions. Medications are generally not effective. There are two different sleep apnea dental appliances that can be created. A Mandibular Repositioning Device is designed to bring the lower jaw forward while the patient is sleeping. Another type of device is the Tongue Retaining Device (TRD), which, basically just prevents the tongue from falling back at night. Simple but effective. There are even surgical means of fixing this problem. Treating sleep apnea often requires work with other health professionals so it is a good idea to find a dentist who is willing to work with other doctors outside his or her field.
If you are having a problem with sleep apnea and would like to larn more about sleep apnea dental treatment, please consider visiting the Atlanta Dental Group PC. Our Atlanta dental team is one of the most experienced in Atlanta with over 40 years of experience serving Atlanta's dental needs. Our dentists are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being and you are more than welcome to join our family of patients. Our sleep apnea dentist is willing to work with a sleep apnea doctor from another medical field to help find a sleep apnea cure for you. If you would like schedule an appointment feel free to call us at 404-874-7428.