Oral Sleep Appliances in Syracuse, NY
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), approximately 30 million individuals in the U.S. suffer from sleep apnea. But despite it being very common, it usually goes undiagnosed since most of its symptoms, like loud snoring, breathing interruptions, and gasping for air, happen when you’re sleeping that most people don’t realize that these things are happening to them.
With this in mind, if you suspect that you have sleep apnea and not just severe snoring, visit us at Atwal Sleep & Wellness Center here in Syracuse, NY. You can discuss your symptoms with Dr. Inderpreet Atwal so that he can make a proper diagnosis and recommend appropriate treatments. One such treatment is oral sleep appliances.
What are Oral Sleep Appliances for Sleep Apnea?
For mild to moderate symptoms of sleep apnea, particularly severe snoring, doctors usually recommend oral sleep appliances, also known as MRAs or mandibular repositioning appliances or mouthpieces. These look similar to mouth guards. You only need to wear it while you are sleeping at night.
How Oral Sleep Appliances Work for Sleep Apnea
Oral appliances are worn when you’re sleeping to keep your sleep apnea symptoms at bay. They are custom-made and fitted to your mouth to ensure that it keeps your airways wide open as you sleep and keep you from snoring. They are likewise more portable and more user-friendly than CPAP machines. This is why your doctor in Syracuse, NY may recommend that you try an oral sleep appliance first before a CPAP or other breathing machine. This way, you’ll be able to see whether an oral appliance will suffice to keep your symptoms under control.
Studies have shown that oral sleep appliances could be especially helpful for people who experience sleep apnea symptoms when they sleep on their backs. They can aid in keeping your airways open in two ways. One, it brings your jaw more forward, and two, it prevents your tongue from hanging back.
The Dangers of Undiagnosed and Untreated Sleep Apnea
Left undiagnosed and untreated, sleep apnea could have severe consequences, not just for the person who has it, but for the general public as well. When you’re unable to get sufficient restorative sleep, it can negatively impact your emotional, mental, and physical health. It could result in chronic daytime sleepiness, attention and memory issues, depression, and irritability. Over time, you also raise your risk of developing heart disease, metabolic syndrome, stroke, high blood pressure, glaucoma, type 2 diabetes, and pregnancy complications among others.
In addition, since sleep apnea causes sleepiness during the day, it could likewise raise your risk of getting into an accident. Various road accidents, train crashes, and related accidents have reportedly been caused by a vehicle driver falling asleep on the wheel because of sleep apnea.
Ready to Take Control of Your Sleep Apnea and Severe Snoring?
Visit us at Atwal Sleep & Wellness Center here in Syracuse, NY.
Oral Sleep Appliance Therapy
- There is another treatment for OSA, which is Oral Sleep Appliance Therapy.
- An oral sleep appliance is much like a retainer or night guard. It gently shifts the lower jaw forward, and opens the lower airway.
Temporal Mandibular Joint - TMJ
The use of a Morning Re-Positioner is needed to help the patient’s mandible be restored to its proper position & alignment. The Morning Re-Positioner is worn in the morning for 15 to 30 minutes after the patient has removed their Oral Sleep Appliance.
The Morning Re-Positioner is heated in hot water and molded onto the upper and lower arch by the clinician.
- Causes the condyle to transition back into the TMJ socket
- Restores the patient’s natural bite
- Needs to be worn every morning!
Sleep Diagnostic Testing Methods
Polysomnography (PSG)
In order to diagnose Sleep Apnea or other sleep disorders, a patient must undergo a polysomnography (sleep study). This is typically done in a sleep lab, requiring the patient to spend the night in-lab, while the polysomnography (PSG) equipment records his/her physiological data.
Home Sleep Test (HST)
Today with technological advancements a sleep study can be performed at home and is called a Home Sleep Study. The patient self-administers the HSS, and is able to spend the night in the patient’s own bed in familiar surroundings.
The typical cost of a home sleep study is only a fraction of the cost of an in-lab sleep study and typically yields similar results in the diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.