Extent of the Problem:
- 70% of adults in the united states have sleep disorders
- 50% of adults over 40 snore
- Snoring: the tongue partially blocks the airway
- 20% of adults who snore have sleep apnea
- Sleep Apnea: tongue completely blocks the airway for 10s or more leading to decreased oxygen saturation.
- To break the apneic episode, your body wakes up, disrupting your sleep
- Bruxism (clenching and grinding) is highly corelated with sleep apnea
- Most patients with an 18” neck or more snore
Associated Health Risks:
- Untreated severe sleep apnea takes 10-15 years off your life expectancy
- Sleep Apnea puts you at higher risk for heart attack, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, headaches, erectile dysfunction, and depression
- Sleep apnea increases your risk of heart attack by 23x (more than smoking, being overweight or high blood pressure)
- Sleep apnea causes more accidents per year than drunk drivers
Treatment: Oral Appliances, CPAP, and Surgery
- The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends oral appliances as the first line of treatment for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea (5-30 events/hour)
- CPAP is the gold standard for treating severe sleep apnea, and if you have a CPAP, and you’re happy with it, stay with it; but a lot of patients don’t like their CPAP
- Concerns with the CPAP could be: claustrophobia, noise of the machine, headaches caused by the strap, irritation or red marks on the face from the mask, and dryness in the nose, throat, or mouth
- CPAP can also be cumbersome for those who travel frequently
- Surgery is the third treatment option for sleep apnea. Patients with large tonsils and adenoids (which Dr Dulac screens for) are good candidates for surgery.
- Dental Appliances work by bringing the lower jaw forward, opening up the airway
- Dental Appliances can be combined with CPAP or Surgery to optimize results
Please contact us if you’re interested in an oral appliance for snoring or sleep apnea.