Patients in the area of Oakville, Ontario, who have been diagnosed by their primary care physician with a condition called “obstructive sleep apnea,” or OSA, may find themselves saddled with using an uncomfortable and troublesome device each night called a CPAP machine. While CPAP machines are effective at treating various types of sleep apnea, these machines can be difficult to travel with, uncomfortable, and problematic. Instead, the team at Sherwood Dental encourages patients to ask Drs. Stephen Gaines and Arti Patel about the advantages of an alternative solution known as oral appliance therapy. With oral appliance therapy, patients can use a comfortable, custom-made dental appliance for treating obstructive sleep apnea without the need for a CPAP machine—ensuring better compliance and improved symptoms.
What is obstructive sleep apnea?
Sometimes referred to by professionals as OSA, this sleeping disorder is caused by a blockage in the airways. While a patient sleeps, their tongue may fall back into the throat. When this happens, it blocks the airway. The patient stops breathing, and the body often gasps back away. This leaves patients in a cycle that can continue hundreds of times in one night and keep them from ever reaching the deep levels of sleep they need to feel restored and refreshed each morning. Patients with some of the following symptoms may want to talk to their doctor about testing for obstructive sleep apnea:
- Daytime fatigue
- Insomnia
- Headaches upon wakening
- Memory and concentration issues
- Sleeping partner reporting chronic snoring or gasping at night
How can a dentist help me with my obstructive sleep apnea?
Conditions such as OSA can be managed well with a CPAP machine. But because they are often uncomfortable to sleep with, many patients stop using them and return to their days of feeling tired and foggy. Instead, Drs. Stephen Gaines and Arti Patel of Sherwood Dental encourage patients to learn more about the use of oral appliances for sleep-disordered breathing. These devices are created to not only address sleep apnea but even snoring! The appliance is adjustable and is customizable with our dental team. It is designed to maintain the lower jaw in a more forward position and hold down the tongue, eliminating the primary causes of blocked airways. This allows the patient to have clear and open airways that enable them to breathe easier and sleep more soundly. These appliances can often significantly improve a patient’s quality of life, as they have more energy and better mood every day after a full night’s rest with their dental appliance!
Call Drs. Stephen Gaines and Arti Patel today
At Sherwood Dental, we assist Oakville, Ontario, area patients with solutions for their smiles—and certain conditions that can be improved with the help of a dentist. If you are looking for an alternative to your bulky CPAP machine and are ready to learn more about dental appliances for
sleep apnea, call our team today at 844-951-8855 for an
appointment. We are located at 2892 South Sheridan Way and accept new patients.
