Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the upper airway is physically blocked, usually by soft tissues in the throat.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes your breathing to repeatedly stop during the night.
Untreated, this condition can leave you tired and irritable during the day, and long-term can lead to serious health concerns.
With a custom oral appliance from Drs. Frederick Hoffer and Douglas Stilson in Redlands, CA, patients can sleep soundly again.
The Different Types of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where a person's breathing is interrupted and stops during their sleep. These disruptions can last a few seconds to a few minutes and can happen hundreds of times during the night.
When you live with this condition, it can affect your health by causing high blood pressure and drowsiness. Patients who are seeking treatment for their snoring and symptoms typically have one of these types of sleep apnea:
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea occurs when the respiratory control centers of the brain fail and your brain doesn't signal your muscles to breathe.
Complex Sleep Apnea
A combination of central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea, complex sleep apnea is also known as mixed sleep apnea.
Who Is at Risk of Sleep Apnea?
There are several characteristics and habits we want our Redlands, CA, patients to be aware of, because they may put you at a higher risk for sleep apnea:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Heavy alcohol use
- Thick neck
- Aging
- High blood pressure
- Blocked airways
- Family history
How to Tell If You're Living With Sleep Apnea Common Sleep Disorder Signs and Symptoms
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may be living with sleep apnea. The only way to find out for sure is a sleep study, as well as contacting our Redlands dental office.
Daytime Sleepiness
Drowsiness or fatigue can disrupt your work, make driving dangerous, and impact your quality of life.
Loud Snoring
Snoring caused by sleep apnea can wake you and your bed partner up repeatedly through the night. An inability to stay asleep can lead to insomnia.
Disrupted Concentration
Having fragmented sleep can make concentrating difficult and negatively affect your ability to focus on everyday tasks.
Affected Partners
Another way to know if you have obstructive sleep apnea? When someone tells you. It causes loud snoring, which means long nights for the partners of our sleep apnea patients across Redlands, Loma Linda, and Highland.
Does Sleep Apnea Actually Affect My Health? It Does — So Let Our Team Help You
Though symptoms like daytime sleepiness and trouble concentrating can be dangerous on their own, leaving your obstructive sleep apnea untreated is an unnecessary gamble with your health. Obstructive sleep apnea can absolutely play a role in accelerating many medical issues. In fact, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression have all been connected to blocked upper airways and decreased oxygen levels.
Fortunately, you're in control of your medical treatment here. By visiting our nonjudgemental dentists, Dr. Hoffer and Dr. Stilson, sleep apnea patients can take charge of their condition and potentially prevent worsening effects. Our Redlands practice welcomes patients from Highland, Loma Linda, and across San Bernardino County. To get started, contact our office or give us a call at:
(909) 793-7884
Will My Insurance Cover Treatment?
Coverage depends on your insurance plan, but insurance is likely to cover some or all of the expenses for a mouth guard. If you have out-of-pocket expenses to treat your sleep apnea, Redlands Family Dentistry accepts CareCredit® financing, and payments can be made in installments. Still apprehensive about seeking care? It's important to remember that treating obstructive sleep apnea is an investment in your health and quality of life.
Want to Find a Compassionate Dental Practice? This Patient's Experience Shows That We Fit the Bill
"[Dr. Hoffer] does not just provide a service to his patients, he cares for his patients like family. He loves technology, and uses it to provide state-of-the-art dentistry. The professionalism and friendliness of his whole team is outstanding...you cannot do better than Dr. Hoffer and Redlands Family Dentistry." Randall Hoff
Wary About Using a CPAP?
It's Not Your Only Option
CPAP, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure, is a device worn during sleep to help regulate breathing. The machine delivers pressurized air through a facial mask to stabilize respiration through the upper airway. While continuous positive airway pressure machines were once the standard treatment for sleep apnea, they can be loud and bulky.
Redlands, CA, sleep apnea patients commonly worry about having to wear a CPAP machine — but thankfully, there's another option. For many patients, a night guard provides more comfortable treatment.
We Can Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea With a Simple Device
A custom oral appliance, also known as a mouth guard or a night guard, is an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The night guard repositions the lower jaw, keeping the tongue from blocking the throat. This keeps the upper airways open during sleep.
Instead of a cumbersome CPAP device, Redlands Family Dentistry employs the Moses® appliance to treat obstructive sleep apnea. These custom-made oral appliances can be adjusted as needed to ensure a proper fit.
Once you start wearing your oral appliance nightly, you will be able to rest deeply without snoring or trouble breathing, because the cause of your obstructive sleep apnea is being directly addressed. Not to mention, your partner can sleep easy, too.
Whether You're In Highland or Loma Linda You've Found a Dental Team That's Happy to Help
"Dr. Hoffer [and] Dr. Stilson are great dentists. Staff are wonderful, friendly and professional." Colleen Davis
