Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentistry

Can the dentist help you with your sleep apnea?

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Sleep Apnea and Dentistry

So what does such a serious disease such as Sleep Apnea have to do with dentistry? As it turns out, for treatment of the disease, quite a bit! Sleep Apnea is a potentially fatal disease where during one’s night of slumber they can actually stop breathing. Often these periods of apnea last 10 to 20 seconds or longer and occur several times a night. The most effective treatment for Sleep Apnea is using a machine called a CPAP. This stands for continuous positive air pressure. A mask is worn by the person who is attached to the machine. During the night it is “pushing” air through the mask to forcibly keep your airway open and allow you to breathe unobstructed.

Trouble is many people aren’t able to tolerate the CPAP for various reasons, that’s were dentistry comes into the picture. Oral appliances made by a dentist trained to treat the person suffering with Sleep Apnea can be processed. The appliance, worn over your teeth, will gently facilitate moving your lower jaw forward to a position that prevent your airway from collapsing during sleep and allow you to breathe unobstructed.

The disease still must be diagnosed by a certified sleep physician, but the solution for treating the disease can be found in the dental office. If you have any questions about sleep apnea and how we can help you to begin getting a healthier and better night’s rest, please give us a call at 561-394-9000, we will arrange for a consultation appointment that will work well with your schedule.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.