What is sleep apnoea and how can it be treated?
At Dentists of Preston, our dentists know the signs of sleep apnoea and will ensure you receive the diagnosis and solutions to help you.
- Snoring
- Gasping or Chocking Sounds During Sleeping
- Constant Tiredness
- Poor Concentration
- Morning Headaches
- Depressed Mood
- Night Sweats Weight
- Gain
- Lack of Energy
- Forgetfulness Sexual
- Dysfunction
- Frequent Urination at Night
For sleep apnoea caused by sinus issues, a nasal spray may help to alleviate symptoms. Surgery can also treat the condition when caused by large tonsils or excess tissue in the throat.
Custom oral appliances made by Dentists of Preston is an option to treat mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. They are also called Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS) or Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) or Mandibular Repositioning Appliances (MRA). They look a bit like a mouth guard and work by pushing your lower jaw forwards. Your airway will open up more and there will be less of a risk that it will vibrate (snore) or obstruct.
As with all treatments, some people respond better than others. The oral appliance will work best if you have mild to moderate sleep apnea, if your sleep apnoea is a lot better when you lie on your side than when you lie on your back and if you are not overweight. But until you have tried it, no one can say for sure how well it will work for you.
What are your next steps?
At Dentists of Preston, if appropriate, we will refer you to a sleep specialist or liase with your GP about organising appropriate sleep studies. They will determine how severe your sleep apnea is and what can be done about it. You will probably have an overnight sleep study. You can do this either at home or in a sleep lab. It takes one night. After the sleep study, you will have another appointment with your sleep specialist to talk about which treatment will be best for you. If you decide on an oral appliance, your sleep specialist will refer you back to us. You will continue to be looked after by both the sleep specialist and the team at Dentists of Preston.
