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Sleep apnea and sleep disordered breathing is a tremendous impact on a person’s quality of life. Ignoring sleep apnea can cause the immune system to be suppressed, making it more difficult to stay healthy as individuals may have an increased risk of high blood pressure, stress, sleep deprivation, depression, chronic fatigue, and the inability to concentrate. Which is why at Sloan Creek Dental, we address the side effects and long-term health implications of sleep apnea and provide sleep apnea treatment with our holistic and minimally-invasive treatments. We can provide a solution to get you back to sleeping naturally and feeling like yourself.
Everyone wants a good night’s sleep. But if you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, these common symptoms will have a negative impact on your daily activities as well as your overall health. Besides missing out on a good night’s rest, this sleep disorder can cause high blood pressure, lead to weight gain, behavioral changes, and put you at risk for other major health problems. The good news is that you don’t have to live with these symptoms as OSA is treatable.
Excessive and loud disruptive snoring
Grinding or clenching teeth while you sleep
Frequent awakenings throughout the night
Lower energy, grogginess, or irritability throughout the day
The feeling that you never get enough sleep no matter what time you go to bed
“Pain, sleep deprivation, and stress affect so many people and creates such negative consequences. As a medical professional, there is nothing more rewarding to me than to be able to empower my patients and restore their quality of life.”
– Dr. Tina Feng
Did you know recent data show that up to 1 in 5 Americans have some form of sleep apnea? Unfortunately, most people with sleep apnea are undiagnosed, which means they’re not aware they have a potentially life-damaging problem. Some of the symptoms include loud snoring, grinding or clenching of the teeth, morning headaches, high blood pressure, sleep deprivation, inability to concentrate, waking up in the night while gasping for air, brief pauses in breathing – occurring hundreds of times per night, and chronic fatigue. Battling obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can cause the immune system to be suppressed, making it more challenging to stay healthy.
OSA occurs when the airway is physically blocked by either the throat muscles, soft palate, tongue, or tonsils, preventing adequate breathing during sleep, affecting the body’s natural healing processes, and increasing inflammation. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea is associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, restless sleep, and obesity. Getting diagnosed and treated for obstructive sleep apnea also improves other health problems for many people.
For your dentist to treat your OSA, a comprehensive sleep study is performed in a sleep facility or at your home. This sleep study monitors your breathing, heart rate, brain activity, blood pressure, and oxygen levels while you sleep. Your sleep physician will examine the results, and if the sleep doctor prescribes treatment, your dentist will be able to treat your OSA.
At Sloan Creek Dental, we take a unique approach to treating sleep apnea. We know that traditional treatments, like a CPAP machine, can be cumbersome and difficult to manage which is why we recommend a couple of treatment options for sleep apnea, either the NightLase laser airway therapy or oral appliance therapy. The benefits of using either the NightLase laser airway therapy or the dental oral appliance are that they are both non-invasive and do not require surgery. Perfect for the patient looking for a holistic approach to treat sleep apnea and get a better night’s sleep.
Sloan Creek Dental offers NightLase laser airway therapy for patients who have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and cannot tolerate the use of a CPAP. The procedure is a short 20-minute treatment where Dr. Feng uses the Fotona Lightwalker laser to tighten tissues at the back of the throat, reducing airway obstruction and allowing you to sleep better and feel better. The tightening of airway tissues means NightLase is also a non-invasive and effective treatment option to reduce snoring. Once the treatment is complete, you can return to your daily schedule with no downtime or recovery needed.
The best part about NightLase therapy is that it’s virtually pain-free and lasts for up to a year. With NightLase, you won’t need to wear a device in your mouth throughout the night to get the benefits of a good night’s rest. Although it is recommended to complete three sessions of NightLase over 6 weeks, many patients start to feel better after just two treatments!
Another treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea is an oral appliance, a mouthpiece you wear while you sleep. Some of the benefits of an oral appliance compared to a CPAP breathing mask includes:
Unlike NightLase, which tightens your throat tissues, an oral appliance helps keep your airway open by adjusting the position of your lower jaw. Lying on your back while sleeping closes the airway because gravity pushes your tongue and jaw towards the back of the throat. The oral appliance prevents your jaw and sometimes even your tongue from moving backward as you sleep. By wearing it every night, the bones in the face remodel themselves overtime to correct airway obstruction, TMJ, and alignment issues.
There are many types of OSA appliances available today. If an OSA appliance is for you, we will do a thorough evaluation to determine which type of appliance would work best for you.
Throughout your treatment and diagnosis, Dr. Feng and the rest of the Sloan Creek Dental team will be available to answer your questions, and help you while you take your first step in treating sleep apnea. We address the root cause of compromised airways instead of the symptoms, and we’re committed to delivering the best possible dental care treatment for your snoring or sleep apnea.
If you think you or a family member may suffer from sleep apnea, please contact us today to schedule an appointment with our top-rated sleep apnea dentist near McKinney. We work with patients of all ages to address their concerns, and do so in a comfortable office that puts people at ease.
To learn more about the treatment and diagnosis of sleep apnea and how Sloan Creek Dental can help you stop snoring so you can sleep better, contact us today at (972) 468-1440, or schedule a sleep apnea consultation online to get started.
A great experience at Sloan Creek Dental. The Dentist, Dr Feng and her staff are first class. Gentle cleaning and exam. Dr. Feng is personable, professional and makes you feel so comfortable during the exam. On a scale of 1-10 the staff and Dr Feng are a 10+. We have found the best Dentist in Fairview/McKinney area of Texas. Highly recommend Dr Feng…clearly the “best of the best”!
Just about anything you need under one roof. Your Fairview dentist near Allen and McKinney has your family covered.