Sleep Apnea Treatment in Irvine, CA

Sleep disorders are a common problem in the United States; sleep apnea is one such health condition affecting more than 22 million Americans, according to the National Sleep Foundation. It’s also estimated that up to 90 percent of the people who suffer from this condition are undiagnosed. Unfortunately, while people may recognize that they snore and are constantly tired throughout the day, they may not realize that these are the signs of a condition that could actually be threatening their lives.

So, if you wake up tired and irritable after sleeping all night, or if your partner complains about your snoring, you may want to consider a sleep study to determine whether sleep apnea is the cause.

What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

When a patient with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) sleeps, their airway becomes blocked, causing them to stop breathing (the word apnea literally means “without breath”). These periods of not breathing last 10 seconds or longer and repeatedly occur throughout the night. A person with severe sleep apnea could experience hundreds of these episodes in a single night.

The signs of sleep apnea include:

• Loud snoring
• Gasping and choking noises as the body rouses itself to resume breathing

Although the patient may not remember these repeated waking episodes in the morning, they prevent the deep sleep each of us needs.

When sleep apnea is left untreated, both the patient’s quality of life and health suffer. Daytime fatigue and sleepiness have a detrimental effect on productivity at work and in personal relationships and can even pose a danger because of the risk of falling asleep while driving. Sleep apnea also leads to additional serious medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and depression.

What Are the Causes of OSA?

Your nerves, muscles, and other parts of your body interact in a complex manner. In some individuals, these interactions don’t work correctly, and the airway can close while they are sleeping. As soon as the brain registers that oxygen levels are dropping, a signal is sent to wake the body so that breathing can resume.

After you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, your doctor may prescribe a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine to treat your symptoms. A CPAP machine keeps your airways open while you sleep by delivering continuous air through a mask. The parts of a CPAP machine include:

• A mask that fits over your nose, mouth, or both.
• A strap to hold the mask on your face.
• A tube that connects the face mask to the machine’s motor.
• A motor to blow air into the tube.
• An air filter to purify the air going into your nose and mouth.
• A heated humidifier to keep the air moist.
• An adjustable pressure setting to alter the pressure as needed.

How Does a CPAP Machine Work?

For a CPAP machine to work, you must wear the mask every time you sleep, whether at home or away from home. It works by taking in the room’s air, filtering it, pressurizing it, and then delivering it through the tubing into your face mask.

This continuous air flow keeps your tongue and soft palate from shifting and closing your airway, allowing you to breathe and sleep properly.

While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an effective treatment for sleep apnea and often one of the first prescribed by sleep specialists, nearly half of all patients cannot tolerate this therapy – for a variety of reasons, including the following:

• Machine issues — Several things can go wrong with the CPAP machine, such as issues with the power, plastic tubing, or humidifier. Your CPAP machine might be old and need to be replaced, but new machines are expensive.
• Health or lifestyle changes — Your CPAP settings may need to be adjusted to ensure you get the right amount of pressure. Your sleep position and weight can affect pressure requirements, making CPAP machines problematic for some.
• Nasal or sinus issues — If you have a deviated septum or a high arching palate, it could cause you to be CPAP intolerant.
• Congestion — Anything that keeps you from breathing normally can make it difficult to use a CPAP machine, including seasonal allergies or daily congestion.
• Other factors — Numerous other factors can contribute to CPAP intolerance, including claustrophobia, insomnia, anxiety, nasal or skin irritation, poor mask fit, respiratory infections, bloating, gas, or lack of motivation

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, there are many distinct risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea, including:

• Age — The older you are, the greater your chances for sleep apnea. However, after age 60, the risks level off.
• Family history — If you have a family member with obstructive sleep apnea, it may increase your risk.
• Genetics — Sadly, obstructive sleep apnea can be inherited; certain skeletal and soft tissue features, such as the size of the tongue, tonsils, and soft palate, are believed to increase the risk.
• Lifestyle habits — Smoking, drinking alcohol, and using sedatives can increase your risk for sleep apnea.
• Obesity — If you have excess fat deposits in your neck, it could block your upper airway.
• Sex — Men are two to three times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea than women.
• Other health conditions — If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or thyroid disorders, your risk for OSA increases.
• Other factors — If you have a thick neck or chronic nasal congestion, you are at an increased risk for sleep apnea.

Research conducted at the Mayo Clinic names numerous complications associated with untreated sleep apnea. Without a sleep study and proper treatment, any of the following are possible:

• Daytime fatigue — Because you are repeatedly awakened at night, you can’t get the restorative sleep you need. This can cause you to be drowsy, fatigued, and irritable. Your quality of life is undoubtedly affected by this.
• Difficulty concentrating — It’s quite possible you won’t be able to focus at work or school. You could even fall asleep during the day without realizing it.
• Depression — Without enough quality sleep, you might be easily irritated, moody, or depressed. This can lead to additional issues with relationships.
• High blood pressure — If you have sleep apnea, you are more likely to experience a drop in blood oxygen levels, which can result in higher blood pressure.
• Heart attack and stroke — Your risk factors for heart attack, stroke, and atrial fibrillation can increase if you have obstructive sleep apnea, so seeking treatment is critical.
• Heart failure — Obstructive sleep apnea can put a strain on the cardiovascular system and result in heart failure.
• Type 2 diabetes — You are more prone to insulin resistance if you have sleep apnea, so your chances of diabetes are increased.

Fortunately, there are other ways to treat sleep apnea besides a CPAP machine, including a customized mouthpiece from our dental office.

Dr. Robertson has a great deal of experience and training in using customized mouthpieces to treat sleep apnea. These oral appliances reposition your tongue to keep it from falling back and hold your jaw in a slightly different position. This effect stops the airway from closing and prevents the tongue from blocking the airway.

Here are the steps of the process:

1. First, we’ll take impressions of your teeth to determine your bite.
2. Next, we will send those impressions to the lab or manufacturer to create your custom mouthpiece.
3. Once your mouthpiece is ready, you’ll return to our dental office for a fitting to ensure it’s comfortable and fits snugly enough to stay put while you sleep.
4. We will provide ongoing care and check with you during your regular dental appointments to see how your mouthpiece works.

Dr. Robertson is happy to provide a free consultation to discuss your needs, your condition, your lifestyle, and your preferences. If CPAP therapy is not an option for you, or if you’d simply like to learn more about oral appliances and what they can do for patients with sleep apnea, we will happily assist you! We invite you to call our Irvine dental office today at 714-838-7272 to schedule your free consultation.

At the dental office of Dr. Jeffrey C. Robertson, we want to give you something to smile about, and we know that helping you achieve restful sleep will help you do just that.