Sleep apnea: what is it and what can be done about it?

Do you wake up in the mornings feeling as or more tired than when you went to sleep? Or does your partner regularly comment on your loud snoring? If so, you could be suffering from sleep apnea – a common sleep disorder in which you repeatedly stop and start breathing while you sleep. Symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring loudly, waking up unrested and frequently waking up throughout the night.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) which is caused by a partial or complete blockage of the airways during sleep and can lead to a variety of health problems including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, a weakened immune system, memory loss, irritability, poor mental health, and sexual dysfunction.

At Jackson Dental, we offer Oral Appliance Therapy a sleep therapy medical device that positions the lower jaw slightly forward during sleep to open the airway for increased oxygen flow during breathing and can help treat OSA. The appliance is worn nightly and is adjusted at three-week intervals until the optimum lower jaw position is achieved.

By working closely with local sleep doctors, Jackson Dental has been able to achieve exceptional results in treating patients with sleep apnea using an alternative to the often-cumbersome CPAP machine.

If you think you suffer from sleep apnea and are ready to try Oral Appliance Therapy, give us a call today at 573-243-5200. Life is too short to miss out on a good night’s sleep!