What Are My Options for Sleep Apnea Therapy?

You’ve been staring at the cursor on your screen for a few minutes now, and it refuses to move. It might have something to do with your hands being in your lap, but that’s not your main concern right now. You are exhausted. You were exhausted when you got up, and you’re still exhausted at…wow, it’s only 9:15AM. This day is taking forever. Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping disorder that affects millions of people every night, and that includes you. Many people are prescribed to use a CPAP machine, but they do not work for everyone. However, there is now another option for sleep apnea therapy from Weatherford Dental Sleep Medicine.

One of the most common methods used to treat sleep apnea is a CPAP machine. It works by continually pumping air into a patient in order to keep their airway open. While this has been shown to be an effective treatment for some, for many it presents a whole new set of problems.

The mask itself can make people feel uncomfortable, and even causes some to feel claustrophobic. The persistent forcing of air into the body can also make it difficult to fall asleep. The machine can also create quite a bit of noise, which can disturb the patient, as well as anyone trying to sleep around them. This can be especially disheartening for the partners of sleep apnea patients that were hoping treatment would reduce the amount of noise they have to sleep through. The machine is quite bulky as well, so it can restrict movement, and does not travel easily. Due to all of these factors, as many as 50% of patients who are supposed to use a CPAP do not after one year.

The Alternative

For patients who do not like their CPAP, or ones who simply want a simpler solution, they can now use an oral appliance for sleep apnea. An oral appliance is kind of like a mouth guard that you wear for sports. Rather than pumping air into a patient, an oral appliance keeps the airway open by slightly shifting the jaw forward. This prevents the soft tissue of the mouth and throat from closing, ensuring a restful night’s sleep.

An oral appliance works better for many patients as opposed to a CPAP because it is simpler, quicker, quieter, and can be just as effective. Every oral appliance is made of flexible and durable materials that are custom fitted to each patient. They are light and non-invasive, meaning a patient should easily be able to talk and drink while they have it in. Up to 95% of patients who consistently use their oral appliance have reported a higher sleep quality.

Is It Right For Me?

If you are curious about what an oral appliance can do for your sleep, be sure to make an appointment with Dr. Romack. That way they can give you the personal attention you need and figure out if an oral appliance is the best solution for you. You can have a restful night’s sleep, you don’t have to put up with being tired anymore, so come see us today.