Obstructive Sleep Apnea: FINDING RELIEF IN ORAL APPLIANCE THERAPY

This can affect mood and impact the sufferers’ ability to remember basic tasks. Other symptoms may include a sore throat, waking up several times during the night gasping for air, and signs of enlarged tissue in the throat or oral cavity.

Sleep apnea can have a direct effect on a person's quality of life.  It can harm a person's relationships both by affecting the sleep of significant others and promoting moodiness in the sufferer. The condition causes a drop in the amount of oxygen entering the bloodstream, creating an environment for stroke and heart attacks. Other side effects often include kidney disease, diabetes, and obesity. In addition, the constant interruption in sleep can affect the sleep cycle, which significantly affects brain function, such as remembering basic things and staying focused.

Routine dental appointments can offer excellent opportunities for these types of cases to be diagnosed. The diagnosis often occurs through a comprehensive patient exam. This may include a complete medical history where snoring, choking, or gasping for air while sleeping are uncovered. A physical exam can then reveal if the patient shows physical signs often associated with OSA, such as a large tongue and neck. Once a patient is diagnosed, Burbank Dental Lab offers excellent options for oral appliance therapies that will provide relief to blocked airways.