At A&N Dental in Tempe, Arizona, Mandana Kheshtchin, DDS, and Brent Woodmansee, DMD, offer sleep apnea treatment through oral appliances. We can also help you determine if more involved treatment would be better for you, helping you get the sleep you need while avoiding the potential dangers of sleep apnea.
To help you move closer to quality sleep, we generally recommend these three effective treatments:
1. A night guard
The first step in treating your sleep apnea is to see if a night guard works for you. This custom oral appliance pushes your lower jaw forward, which opens your airways to prevent your sleep apnea.
Night guards are usually most effective for mild and moderate cases of sleep apnea. Dr. Kheshtchin and Dr. Woodmansee can help you determine if this treatment is right for you.
2. Positive airway pressure machines
If a night guard won’t alleviate your sleep apnea, we refer you to a sleep specialist. At that point, that specialist will usually have you start using a positive airway pressure machine when you sleep. The most common version of these devices is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.
With these devices, you wear a mask over your nose and mouth as you sleep. The machine maintains the pressure in your airway, keeping it open so you can breathe easily. There are multiple types of positive airway pressure machines that you can try to see which is most effective for you.
3. Surgery
If you don’t get relief from your sleep apnea even after trying multiple positive airway pressure devices, you should probably consider surgery. Left untreated, sleep apnea can heighten your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and more.
Your surgery might involve removing excess tissue, repositioning your jaw, implanting a device to deliver neurostimulation to correct your sleep apnea, or other procedures. Your sleep specialist and your surgeon can help you determine the right surgery to bring you the best results. Once you’ve recovered, you should be able to breathe easily through the night.
Don’t let your sleep apnea go unaddressed. To get better sleep and to protect your overall health, call our office in Tempe, Arizona, or book your appointment online today. We’re here to help you start exploring your sleep apnea treatment options.