Stop Snoring and Overcome Sleep Apnea in El Paso, TX
You might not immediately think of your dentist when considering what to do about your snoring habit. However, our doctors are highly experienced at helping patients sleep more soundly with the help of custom sleep appliances. Excessive snoring not only interrupts your sleep pattern, but can also indicate a more significant disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Both conditions involve blockage in your airway caused by mouth and/or throat tissues, and in many cases, they can be alleviated with the help of an appliance that helps keep your airway clear while you sleep.
What Causes You to Snore?
Snoring can occur for different reasons in different people. It can also occur to varying degrees; for some people, it’s an occasional annoyance that usually stops once they change sleeping positions. For others, however, it can be a more serious condition involving a chronic obstruction in their airway caused by mouth and throat tissues. Chronic snorers will snore every night or almost every night, even when they try changing positions or other home remedies to stop snoring. In some cases, the chronic obstruction can also lead to the cessation of breathing, which is the underlying cause of obstructive sleep apnea.
What Happens When You Have Sleep Apnea?
When a partial airway obstruction leads to snoring, it’s because the restricted space forces the same amount of breath through a narrower chamber. This increases its air pressure, causing the walls and tissues in your throat to vibrate loudly. When you have sleep apnea, this obstruction will continue until your airway is completely blocked and you can no longer breathe at all. For several moments, your snoring will stop until your body is forced to clear the airway again. This doesn’t usually wake you from consciousness, but it can disrupt your sleep pattern and prevent you from ever reaching the deep levels of sleep your brain and body need to recuperate each night.
The Benefits of a Sleep Appliance
For patients who experience sleep apnea, their diagnosis often comes with a prescribed CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. The apparatus provides a continuous, gentle stream of air to help maintain your airflow. However, many patients qualify for a more comfortable solution in the form of a custom-designed appliance, which supports the lower jaw in a comfortable position that guarantees the airway doesn’t become obstructed. In addition to being more convenient, the appliance is often a more effective option for patients who find the CPAP machine to be cumbersome and uncomfortable to sleep with.
Custom Snoring/Sleep Apnea Treatment
If you snore too much or are diagnosed with sleep apnea, then find out if a custom appliance can help you achieve the more peaceful and restful sleep that you deserve. To ask about treating snoring or sleep apnea with a custom sleep appliance, or to schedule an appointment, call the Sunny Smiles office nearest you in El Paso, TX, today! We have offices in East and Northeast El Paso, and happily welcome patients from all nearby communities, including Chaparral, Canutillo, Vinton, and Sunland Park, New Mexico.