Dental Implants
Dental implants are an effective, long-lasting way to replace any missing teeth. With proper care and good oral hygiene, they can even last a lifetime.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that is characterized by frequent breathing interruptions throughout sleep. The airway muscles relax during sleep and spread out and momentarily interrupt breathing.
People who experience sleep apnea may stop breathing for 10-30 seconds at time up to 400 times per night. When you stop breathing, this triggers your natural reflexes to restart breathing which can cause the individual to startle awake.
Many people with sleep apnea are unaware that they have the sleep disorder and that they are waking up at all throughout the night. This disorder is diagnosed by your doctor or dentist.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea:
If you are experiencing these symptoms it is recommended to have a sleep apnea screening. Here at San Ramon Dental Excellence, our team can help to screen for sleep apnea and then refer to a doctor who specializes in sleep medicine in order to properly diagnose.
How our dentists treat sleep apnea:
Dentists have training with oral appliance therapy which is typically how sleep apnea is treated. Our team at San Ramon Dental Excellence will take impressions of your mouth to create a custom oral appliance.
The appliance, when inserted, painlessly repositions your jaw and soft palate tissues to prevent the muscle collapse which triggers sleep apnea. It fits into your mouth like a retainer.
If you consistently use the appliance it will allow you to breathe freely and reduce risk for serious health problems that are associated with sleep apnea.
If you think you may have sleep apnea, call our office at 925-866-8890 to schedule a consultation with one of our doctors.