Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Las Vegas, NV
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a common condition in which a person stops breathing while asleep. This cessation of breathing usually last anywhere from a few seconds to minutes, followed by a loud gasp or snort when normal breathing begins again. This can occur more than 30 times in an hour. This obstructive breathing pattern disrupts the normal sleeping pattern, which leads to poor sleep quality and a lower amount of oxygen is delivered to the brain. Typically, a person with sleep apnea feels tired and fatigued during the day. Often, sleep apnea goes undiagnosed and is first noticed by a family member, roommate or bed partner.
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where the airway becomes collapsed and constricted. This causes shallow breathing, pauses in breathing and snoring. Anyone can have OSA, especially those who are overweight. Even children may suffer from OSA when their tonsils become enlarged.
When left untreated, sleep apnea can:
- Increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity heart failure and heart attack.
- cause irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias)
- Increase the chance of falling asleep behind the wheel
- Increase the chance of depression
Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea:
- loud snoring (although not everyone who snores has sleep apnea)
- feeling sleepy during the day
- morning headaches
- memory loss & forgetfulness
- difficulty concentrating
- fatigue
- gasping causing one to wake up
- impaired thinking
- insomnia
- nighttime choking spells
- dry mouth or sore throat in the morning
- frequent nocturnal urination
- feeling irritable, depressed or having mood swings
Management of Sleep Apnea with Oral Appliances:
Mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea can be managed with Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT). A custom oral appliance can be made for the patient that adjusts the position of the lower jaw and tongue to open the airway. An oral appliance can also be used to alleviate snoring for those who are not diagnosed with sleep apnea. Recently, The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has recommended oral appliances as a primary or first line of treatment for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
Dr. Bell is highly trained in Sleep Medicine and completed a residency program in Dental Sleep Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Bell is able to fabricate these FDA approved oral appliances and help patients improve their lives through better sleep.
Benefits of Oral Appliances:
- Oral Appliances are discreet and comfortable
- Oral Appliances are portable and durable
- No hoses or air noises
- Able to move to different sleeping positions easily
- Require no electricity
Please call our office to schedule a consultation if you may be suffering from any of the above symptoms.
Sleep self-assesment quiz! Take this survey to find out if you are at risk and if so, call our office to find out more about how we can help. (702) 256-7666