Do you wake up in the morning feeling tired or unrefreshed even though you’ve had a full night of sleep? During the day, do you feel fatigued, have difficulty concentrating, or even unintentionally fall asleep? If you’re struggling with snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, our personalized sleep apnea solutions and oral appliance therapies can fix your sleep issues…and change your life.
Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are common yet serious sleep disorders that negatively impact not only your sleep, but also your long-term health, well-being, and overall quality of life.
The most common symptom of sleep-disordered breathing and sleep apnea is snoring, especially when it is followed by silent breathing pauses, choking, or gasping sounds. An apnea, or temporary pause in breathing, happens when muscles in your throat relax and allow soft tissue to block your airway and limit your oxygen flow. When your brain and body become oxygen deprived, you wake up (sometimes hundreds of times per night).
The major risk factor for sleep-disordered breathing and sleep apnea is excess body weight, however people of all sizes may have sleep struggles. If you have a large neck size or a family history of sleep issues, your risk for sleep apnea is increased. Do you sleep on your back? If so, you also have a greater chance of struggling with snoring and sleep apnea than side or stomach sleepers.
Luckily, sleep-disordered breathing and sleep apnea are manageable using a variety of treatments. A sleep medicine physician can diagnose obstructive sleep apnea using an in-lab sleep study or a home sleep apnea test and help determine the best treatment options for you. The most common and effective treatments include positive airway pressure therapies (CPAP, BIPAP, VPAP machines), oral appliance therapies (OAT), and surgery.
While positive airway pressure therapies (CPAP, BIPAP, VPAP) are the most prescribed treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, not everyone can tolerate the masks and machines. Oral appliances (also called mandibular advancement devices or MADs) are the most common alternative for CPAP machines, and they hold the jaw in a forward position to improve air flow and prevent the airway from collapsing when you sleep.
Dr. Ross is specially trained in Dental Sleep Medicine and will custom-fit an oral appliance to treat your sleep-disordered breathing, including snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea. The most prescribed oral appliances fit securely over your teeth while you sleep and resemble an orthodontic retainer.
Created and patented by Dr. Ross, and FDA approved in 2021, the Elevate oral appliance combinations move your lower jaw forward to prevent your airway from collapsing when asleep. Each upper and lower appliance has matching notches for elastics to help train your teeth to stay together through the night.
The EMA appliance is designed to both advance the lower jaw (mandible) and open the bite to allow for less restricted airflow during sleep. The EMA has many options for mandibular patient advancement with five strap lengths and four different elastic tension options. Non restricted side-to-side (lateral) or front-to-back (protrusive) movements of the jaw are possible while wearing the appliance due to varying elastic bands.
The Herbst sleep appliance is a hard plastic appliance with adjustable hardware on the cheek sides of the molar teeth. It prevents side-to-side motion by holding the jaw closed with small orthodontic rubber bands.
When’s the last time you had a great night of sleep where you wake up feeling rested, refreshed, and ready to face your day? If you’re one of the millions of Americans who snore or struggle with sleep apnea, you probably don’t “rise and shine” too often. Luckily, your orthodontist can help you catch better ZZZZ’s by treating your sleep-disordered breathing with oral appliance therapy.
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Find out if a custom-fit oral appliance can help stop your snoring and improve your sleep, health, and quality of life. If you struggle with sleep-disordered breathing or have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, schedule your consultation with Dr. Ross today to see if oral appliance therapies are a solution for you. Call us today at 651.464.6988 to schedule your consultation.
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