Sleep Apnea

There are other types of issues that dental patients deal with outside the realm of teeth and oral health. One such issue is known as sleep apnea.

Corte Madera Dentist – Madera Dental Julie Young, DDS is pleased to be able to work with patients suffering from or struggling with sleep apnea, offering personalized sleep apnea therapy in Corte Madera, CA.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder during which a patient’s breathing during sleep temporarily stops. Breathing stops when the soft tissues of the mouth and throat relax during sleep. When this happens, the tissues can collapse in their relaxed state and cover up the airway.

After a few moments, the body reacts to the lack of oxygen by jolting the patient awake.

The muscles contract and breathing again becomes possible, just in time for the process to repeat itself when the patient falls asleep once more.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

You or a loved one might be dealing with sleep apnea if you’ve experience any of the following symptoms for an extended period of time:

  • Loud snoring.
  • Exhaustion after sleeping.
  • Daytime sleepiness.
  • Nightmares.
  • Insomnia.
  • Breathing heavily through the mouth while asleep.
  • Loud breathing while asleep.
  • Depression.
  • Dry mouth.
  • Headaches.
  • Fatigue.
  • Mood swings.
  • Weight gain.
  • Irritability.

Although you cannot diagnose sleep apnea yourself, there are a number of professionals that can do so. Once you have a diagnosis of sleep apnea from a qualified professional, we can provide treatment options.

Treatment for Sleep Apnea with Corte Madera Dentist – Madera Dental Julie Young, DDS

If you think you or a loved one might be suffering from sleep apnea, schedule a sleeping test. During the test, the patient in question will have their vitals monitored as they sleep as well as their breathing patterns and the movements of their appendages.

After you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you can get treatment from Corte Madera Dentist – Madera Dental Julie Young, DDS. We will outfit you with an oral appliance to wear at night. This appliance acts as a sort of mouthguard for your airway, keeping it open while you sleep.

Patients often prefer these oral appliances to other sleep apnea treatment options. It is comfortable, portable, and easy to use.

Sleep Apnea FAQs

Sleep apnea is not something you can afford to ignore for too long; if you suspect that you have it, you need to act quickly to have it diagnosed and treated. Of course, you might be hesitant to take decisive action if you still have some lingering questions about your disorder and the available treatment options. As such, we have answered a number of common sleep apnea inquiries in the following FAQs. Remember that you can always speak to our team if you have further questions.

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For any further questions about sleep apnea treatment with Corte Madera Dentist – Madera Dental Julie Young, DDS or to schedule an appointment, contact us today.