When you have sleep apnea, this can prevent you from obtaining good REM sleep, so you feel rested during the day. This can eventually strain your immune system and heart health too, which is why you need treatment. Instead of a CPAP machine, your Livonia, MI, dentist can offer a custom sleep appliance.
How Sleep Apnea Interrupts Your Rest
Sleep apnea means that while you sleep at night, your breathing is cut off by the collapse of soft tissues in your throat and mouth. This interrupts your REM sleep even if you don’t remember it happening, leaving you feeling exhausted as this can occur hundreds of times in one night. Over time, you feel tired, irritable, and have trouble with memory and concentration. In addition, you can experience episodes of waking suddenly gasping or air or choking, chronic snoring, and headaches and dry mouth. Along with impacting your social life, this can also lead to eventual stress on both your immune system, blood pressures, and heart health. Our team can help with a CPAP alternative, a custom and comfortable oral appliance.
Creating a Custom-Fitted Oral Appliance
We will start with an examination to assess the cause and severity of your sleep apnea. We then decide on the best course of treatment, which often includes an oral appliance. The device looks and fits like a mouthguard, but is custom-fitted based on detailed digital images and measurements we take of your smile. When worn at night, the device actually repositions the jaw and tongue, moving them forward to prevent the collapse of soft tissues, so you sleep without interruption and avoid symptoms during the day. The device is easy to use and clean, and can travel with you too. Many people find this option preferable to the CPAP machine.
Improving How You Rest
Along with a sleep appliance, our team can also discuss ways to improve your sleep habits. For example, we recommend maintaining a regular schedule of going to bed and waking up at the same time. You should rest on your side instead of your back, and keep your bedroom dark and cool, conducive to a good sleeping environment. Be sure you avoid screens in the hour before bed too, as this helps you fall asleep faster. In the two hours before bed, try to avoid large meals, caffeinated beverages, or vigorous exercise.
If you have any questions about how our team will diagnose and treat your sleep disorder, or about our custom appliances, then contact our team today.
SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH DR. STEWART
We don’t want sleep disorders to cause problems for your ability to rest and feel alert. To start your path to better rest, schedule an appointment with Dr. Stewart in Livonia, MI today at 734-425-4400.
