Sleep apnea is a chronic respiratory disorder that is caused when the soft palate in the back of the mouth slips toward the throat. This can cause significant snoring and breathing interruption. This airway blockage can lead to other complicated issues, such as a chronic sinus infection or a respiratory health problem.
If sleep apnea goes untreated, the breathing interruption that occurs each night can also start to tax the circulatory system. This could lead to increased incidence of high blood pressure, as well as an increased risk of suffering a cardiac event.
If you suffer from severe sleep apnea, you might need to sleep with a continuous positive air pressure device, or a CPAP machine. This can help keep the breathing passages open while you sleep.
If you only suffer from mild to moderate sleep apnea, our oral surgeonss, Drs. Paletta and Banki, might be able to provide you with a quality sleep guard that can open your airway and lessen snoring.
Individuals who wear denture might not have the teeth necessary to secure a mandibular advancement device. In a case like this, our oral surgeonss might recommend a tongue stabilizing device. This type of removable oral appliance does not need to attach to the teeth in any way. Instead, it is simply inserted into the mouth and can help keep the soft palate in its proper position, thus allowing for easy and clear breathing.
If you live in the Warwick, Rhode Island, area, and if you are interested in using a snore guard to address your moderate sleep apnea symptoms, you should call 401-739-5500 and schedule an appointment at MSL Surgery.