While a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device is a great option for patients who suffer from sleep apnea, it’s not a great option for everyone who suffers from sleep apnea. Even though this particular machine is successful at using mild air pressure to keep breathing airways open while you sleep, it is a cumbersome device that can often make falling asleep and staying asleep uncomfortable.
If you are currently using a CPAP machine and are looking for a better option, we’d love to help! We have the unique ability as skilled dental professionals to be able to properly diagnose patients who show signs of sleep apnea, assist them with taking a sleep study, and recommend an oral appliance to help them combat sleep apnea.
The oral appliance is a more comfortable and easier-to-manage option for patients who qualify. The main benefit of the oral appliance versus the CPAP machine is that patients are more apt to use the device. If they are not comfortable using the CPAP machine, they simply won’t wear it, which doesn’t help mitigate their risk factors at all.
Sleep apnea is a chronic health problem that causes disruptions in your sleep and breathing. The causes vary but you may be at risk for sleep apnea if you have a history of:
-Cardiac problems
-High blood pressure
-Stroke
-Diabetes
-Depression
-Snoring
-Taking medications for anxiety or depression
The first step in managing sleep apnea is addressing it. If left untreated, the patient has a greater chance for not only experiencing daytime sleepiness, but also an increased risk of anxiety, diabetes, hypertension and stroke.
There are differing levels of severity when diagnosing sleep apnea, all of which have to do with the number of times per hour the patient fully or partially stops breathing for at least 10 seconds. For those who have mild or moderate sleep apnea, less invasive options to a CPAP, such as an oral appliance, have proven useful.
Dr. Dudley is the first dentist in Delray Beach to earn the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Qualified Dental distinction. In addition, in 2019, Dr. Dudley became an American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) Diplomate. Earning Diplomate status from the ABDSM is a unique honor that recognizes special competency in dental sleep medicine. Both of these distinctions continue to advance her role in the treatment of sleep-disordered breathing for the benefit of her patients.
If you are currently wearing (or not wearing!) a CPAP machine to help with your sleep apnea, and would like to see if you’re a candidate for an oral appliance, please schedule an appointment today by calling or texting (561) 303-2413!