Sleep Apnea Treatment in State College, PA
Sleep Apnea
Sleep Medicine has become a very important part of our dental practice. Sleep Apnea is a common disorder that causes your breathing to stop or become very shallow. If left untreated, it can cause very serious or life threatening health issues, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, lack of daily energy, impotency and can even contribute to automobile accidents as a result of falling asleep behind the wheel. There are three types of sleep apnea, including obstructive, central and mixed. Of the three, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common. OSA is when the airway becomes blocked, primarily from the soft tissue collapsing in the back of the throat. In conjunction with sleep apnea, snoring can also be a result of a blocked air passage.
Sleep Apnea has historically been treated using traditional CPAP therapy. However, most people are not compliant in using these devices because of lack of comfort, loud noise and strong air pressure. Also these machines can be very cumbersome and hard to transport while traveling. However one of the biggest reasons people do not use the CPAP machine is because it reduces the intimacy level between partners, often causes one spouse to sleep in a separate bedroom. While the CPAP therapy can be a very effective form of treatment if worn properly, Centre Cosmetic Dentistry is now able to offer an EFDA approved oral appliance as an alternative. Some of devices available are shown below.
