Oral Appliance Treatment for Sleep Apnea in Fredericksburg

What Is Apnea?

Apnea is a sleeping disorder that happens when your breathing gets interrupted while you sleep. This can reduce how much oxygen your body gets while asleep.

Apnea can happen to people of any age, though it most commonly occurs in people older than forty.

If apnea is not properly treated, it can strain the cardiovascular system and increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Are There Different Types of Apnea?

The two main types of apnea are obstructive apnea (OSA) and central apnea (CSA). The former is the most common type and occurs when the muscles of the throat and related soft tissues relax, which physically blocks the airway. The latter type is much less common and occurs when the brain doesn't send the right signals to the muscles controlling breathing.

What Are the Symptoms of Apnea?

The most common sleep apnea symptoms are:

• Frequent, persistent, or loud snoring
• Pauses in breathing while sleeping
• Gasping for air or choking while sleeping
• Nighttime awakenings with a sore throat or dry mouth
• Morning headaches
• Daytime sleepiness and fatigue
• Irritability, trouble concentrating, or changes in mood

What Are the Causes of Sleep Apnea?

While you're awake, the muscles of your throat are stiff, which promotes airflow into your lungs; while you’re asleep, these muscles become relaxed, which narrows your throat and can obstruct airflow. This is one of the most common sleep apnea causes.

Other factors that can increase your risk of developing apnea include:

• Being male in gender
• Being overweight
• Having a neck over 16 inches around
• Having a history of apnea in your family

How Do Dentists Treat Apnea?

Sleep apnea treatment depends on the severity of the condition. In cases of mild apnea, certain lifestyle changes like sleeping on your side and losing weight can help. For more extreme cases, dental appliances can provide relief. The most effective are usually custom-designed dental appliances made specifically to fit your mouth. By repositioning your tongue and jaw, these appliances can relieve symptoms of interrupted breathing and incessant snoring. In more advanced cases, a patient may require surgery.

If you’re experiencing apnea, call us to set up an appointment where we will assess the severity of your condition and determine whether custom oral appliances can benefit you.

What Are Oral Appliances for Apnea?

A sleep apnea mouthpiece is similar in ways to mouthguards for playing sports or orthodontic retainers. One key difference is that you only wear a sleep apnea mouthguard while you’re asleep. The way an oral appliance for sleep apnea in Fredericksburg works is by gently positioning your jaw forward in your mouth, which assists in expanding the airway thereby reducing breathing interruptions and other apnea-related symptoms to a minimum.

What Are the Benefits of Getting an Oral Appliance for Apnea?

Oral Appliance Therapy Treatment (OAT) as it’s called can provide many benefits to your quality of sleep and your health. Patients also find oral appliances for sleep apnea easy to use and care for. Unlike other apnea treatments, OAT is portable, making it simple to take with you and use while traveling. In addition, OAT is a non-invasive form of treatment that can relieve your apnea symptoms without you needing to resort to surgery.

What Do Oral Appliances for Apnea Cost?

How much an oral appliance for sleep apnea may cost you depends on the type of appliance and whether you have insurance that will cover any part of the cost. To discuss the cost of treating your sleep apnea in Fredericksburg, call our office right away.

In addition to letting you know which dental insurance we take, we can also discuss the financing options available to you.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Oral Appliance Therapy?

Most dental insurance carriers will provide coverage for at least some of the costs of OAT, if not all of them. To find out whether your dental insurance policy covers some or all of the cost of oral appliances for sleep apnea in Fredericksburg, contact your dental insurance provider directly.

For more information about how Oral Appliance Therapy for apnea may benefit you, call VA Smiles Fredericksburg today and set up an appointment.