Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep,
pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.
Sleep apnea usually is a chronic condition that disrupts your sleep, as a result, the quality of your sleep is poor. Sleep apnea is a
leading cause of excessive daytime sleepiness.
Sleep apnea treatments range from lifestyle changes, such as stop smoking, losing weight, changing sleep positions to
improve breathing, avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills et cetera to using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices,
to dental devices, to surgery.
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Continuous positive airway pressure -- also called CPAP -- is a treatment in which a mask is worn over the nose and/or
mouthwhile you sleep. The mask is hooked up to a machine that delivers a continuous flow of air into the nose. This air
flow helps keep the airways open so that breathing is regular. CPAP is the most common treatment for sleep apnea.
There's also bi-level positive airway pressure, or BPAP, which is similar to CPAP but the air flow changes when you breathe
in and then breathe out.
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Oral appliance therapy is an effective and non-invasive treatment option for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea and is
covered by many medical insurance plans. Dental devices help keep the airway open during sleep.
Such oral appliances specifically designed and customized by dentists with special expertise in treating sleep apnea
using digital or physical impressions and models of your teeth.
Patients like oral appliance therapy because it is comfortable, easy to wear, quiet, portable, convenient for travel
and easy to care for. Our offices are using this kind of sleep apnea treatment.
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There are several types of surgeries for Sleep Apnea: Nasal surgery, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (procedure that
removes soft tissue on the back of the throat and palate, increasing the width of the airway at the opening of throat),
Mandibular maxillar advancement surgery and implanted device called Inspire.
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