About Sleep Apnea
What’s Sleep Apnea?
Even though it’s hard to identify, sleep apnea remains one of the most common breathing disorders among Americans, affecting some 22 million adults each year.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder caused when airflow is blocked while the patient sleeps. During an episode, the patient stops breathing for several seconds at a time until their brain sends the signal to restart breathing by subconsciously waking the patient.
As a result, patients never get a full night’s sleep, leading to an array of negative symptoms and health consequences.
Types of Sleep Apnea
There are three types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
This form of sleep apnea involves the muscles in the back of your throat relaxing while the patient sleeps, collapsing into the airway and blocking airflow. As the patient attempts to breathe, they let out what sounds like an exaggerated snore.
- Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
This form of sleep apnea is less common than OSA and occurs when the brain fails to send the correct signal to trigger breathing. As a result, patients don’t breathe or don’t breathe deeply enough.
- Complex/Mixed Sleep Apnea
This is a mixed form of sleep apnea, where patients show signs of both obstructive and central sleep apnea. Complex sleep apnea is often diagnosed after a patient undergoes treatment for OSA with either a CPAP machine or oral appliance treatment.
Dentistry & Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a unique condition in the sense that while a qualified physician must conduct diagnosis, dentists are more likely to notice symptoms and recommend sleep studies. This is partially due to the frequency of dental visits versus doctor visits.
Dentists also play an integral part in treating given their knowledge of the airway, head, and neck. Furthermore, only a dentist can provide alternative treatments like oral appliances and orthodontics.
Thanks to her participation in advanced dental sleep medicine courses, Dr. Garceau is uniquely trained in screening for and treating sleep apnea.
Why Treat Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea doesn’t just affect your ability to get a good night’s rest. Without treatment, the breathing condition can worsen existing health conditions like obesity, heart disease, and more. In children, sleep apnea can increase daytime drowsiness and hurt educational performance.
The first step toward treating sleep apnea begins with a monitored sleep study. In Windsor, CT, Dr. Garceau works with local sleep doctors to coordinate your sleep test. Once a diagnosis has been made, we’ll cover your treatment options, including CPAP therapy, oral appliances, or both.
Think You Have Sleep Apnea? Call Our Windsor Dentist Today
Whether you’re showing symptoms of sleep apnea or have already been diagnosed with the disorder, finding the right care for your condition is crucial. Contact our office at 860-254-6189 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Roberta Garceau today to learn about sleep apnea treatment in Windsor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
OSA is a sleep disorder that can cause serious health complications. Due to the shape of your throat, your airway can become obstructed while you’re asleep and your muscles relax. This can lead to dangerous pauses in breathing.
Your body will wake you up in order to continue regular breathing, but many people don’t even remember waking up due to how short these interruptions are. But these interruptions are still enough to disrupt your sleep patterns and cause serious consequences.
People with sleep apnea can wake up hundreds of times per night, putting them at risk for health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. But treatment with Dr. Garceau’s oral appliances is easy, convenient, and comfortable.
What can increase your risk of developing OSA?
While anyone can develop OSA, there are some factors that put you more at risk. Excess weight significantly increases your risk of developing sleep apnea because it puts additional pressure on your neck. Being overweight may also lead to more health conditions that can cause sleep apnea, such as hypothyroidism.
A narrow airway, high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes are risk factors for developing sleep apnea. If you fall into these categories and notice the symptoms of sleep apnea, Dr. Garceau recommends undergoing a sleep test to diagnose any issues.