Did you know that CPAP is 100% Effective, but only 30% of consumers comply with use? Brooklyn Smile offers an alternative solution
What is Sleep Apnea?
Do you suffer from sleep apnea but do not want to go through the hassle of using a bulky CPAP machine? We can help! Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition and can have a significant impact on your health and well-being. The Brooklyn Smile team can provide a comfortable, plastic oral appliance to help you get the rest you need and enjoy better health and a better quality of life, all without hoses or loud machinery.
Many of us have personal experience with someone who snores, either ourselves, a friend, or a family member. As common of a problem as snoring is, it has an often-unrealized effect on the health of the snorer. Snoring is an indication that your airway is becoming blocked, either partially or completely, reducing the oxygen entering your body. The snoring vibrations or gasping during sleep are caused by the tongue and throat collapsing — an annoying problem that is easily fixed.
Snoring and sleep apnea’s consequences are feeling tired and sluggish the next day and not being at your mental best, which can endanger yourself and people around you. Snoring and sleep apnea contribute to nighttime strokes, heart attacks, the inability to lose weight, and in its extreme, dying in your sleep.
Testing is Critical
We have had several patients tell us about a relative who died with untreated sleep apnea, with more cases being unaware of the cause of death.
If you snore, gasp for breath, or suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes or cardiac arrythmias, the medical community recommends that you should be screened and tested for sleep apnea or other breathing disorders.
If you are suffering from the above, then being treated can allow you to wake more refreshed than you have in years. Treating this problem can also reduce your risk of cardiac problems and help you manage or reduce the medications you already take.
The first step is to be tested in the comfort of your own home with a home sleep testing unit. We will help to get you arranged with a small but advanced computer testing unit that is easily worn on the forehead. Most medical plans cover this partially or in full, and the recommended treatments are also covered under most medical plans.
The Brooklyn Smile team are your local experts in treatment, providing both CPAP treatment and the preferred oral appliance, which is a small retainer-like device that will keep your tongue and airway open while you sleep. We are the only office and resource around that can offer testing and complete treatment options.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy is often recommended for mild to moderate sleep apnea or snoring disorders. Sleep apnea and snoring occur when the airway is obstructed. In the case of someone with sleep apnea, breathing may stop entirely for a few moments. Airway obstructions are typically caused by the soft tissues of the throat “collapsing” or the tongue rolling back to block the throat and airway. Oral appliance therapy works to help keep the airways open so that you can breathe normally while asleep.
Your oral appliance is a special, custom-made mouth guard. It is designed to fit your mouth perfectly and works by advancing the lower jaw slightly forward into a comfortable position. This forward movement tightens the soft tissues and muscles of the upper airway, preventing them from vibrating and from becoming an obstruction to your airway while you sleep. Oral appliances also help the tissues at the back of your throat relax and stop your tongue from rolling back. This gives you a safe and soundless sleep so that you can get the rest you need and enjoy better overall health.
For more information about oral appliance therapy and to schedule a consultation with one of the Brooklyn Smile dentists, contact our office today. We are committed to your overall health and well-being.