Sleep Apnoea Treatment
Do you wake up feeling exhausted? Does your partner complain that your snoring kept them up all night? Although snoring is the subject of many jokes, there’s nothing funny about sleep apnoea. This is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing frequently stops and starts.
Left untreated, someone with sleep apnoea could experience high blood pressure issues, diabetes and heart problems associated with it. Sleep apnoea also can take a toll on relationships.
What Are the Symptoms?
Here are some of the most common signs and symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apnoea:
- Loud snoring
- Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep
- Gasping for air during sleep
- Morning headache
- Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
- Extreme daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
- Difficulty paying attention while awake
- Irritability
With sleep apnoea treatment at Exceptional Dental Care, you don’t have to use a cumbersome CPAP machine, which can be uncomfortable and inconvenient to take when travelling.
Instead, we can make a durable, comfortable and custom-fitted appliance that fits on your upper and lower teeth and puts your jaw in a forward position. Dr Lucy received training from the Dental Sleep Institute in Melbourne to be able to offer patients this oral appliance therapy.
The first step is coming in for a consultation with Dr Lucy. If you haven’t had a sleep study done, she will refer you to a sleep specialist to perform the study. The reason for the sleep study is we need to know the severity of your sleep apnoea so we can recommend the proper treatment. After you have the study, the sleep specialist will analyse the result. On the treatment option, it will say CPAP or mandibular splint.
If you choose to have the splint, Dr Lucy can take impressions of your bite and make moulds of your mouth. After she has the moulds a 3D printer will create your splint, which is similar to a retainer. You will receive your device in 2-3 weeks. She can adjust it so it’s in the ideal position to keep you from snoring.
Then Dr Lucy will have you return to the office five weeks later for a follow-up appointment and then another appointment in six months and then a year to ensure that the device is still fitting well.
You also should consider making lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and losing weight if you are overweight. If you drink alcohol you may want to abstain as alcohol consumption can increase the frequency and number of sleep apnoea episodes that occur nightly. Exercise also can improve sleep apnoea symptoms even if you don’t lose weight. Side sleeping can be helpful as well as it could help keep your airway open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Could I just get an over-the-counter night guard to treat my sleep apnoea?
The problem with such night guards is they’re a “boil-and-bite” type that doesn’t provide a superior, customised and comfortable fit like the ones we make at the practice.
Is this procedure covered by insurance?
Yes, depending on the person’s level of cover.
How is your approach to this service different from another dentist’s?
Although there are many different devices on the market, 3D printed nylon is very durable and much stronger than splints made out of acrylic. The use of nylon also makes the device more comfortable.
Is there a minimum age a patient has to be to receive this treatment?
Schedule an Appointment
With our treatment, you can enjoy better sleep, improved cognitive function, and improved mood and wellbeing. Your partner also will be able to get uninterrupted sleep!
You don’t have to put up with disruptive sleep apnoea. Contact our practice today to schedule a consultation with Dr Lucy.
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* Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
