Expert Treatment for Sleep Apnea & Snoring in Granbury, TX
Sleep is a critical part of a healthy lifestyle, but those who suffer from sleep apnea (OSA) rarely achieve a good night’s rest. Sleep apnea disrupts the sleep cycle and can lead to a host of health issues. Kyle W. Rogers, DDS, provides treatment for sleep apnea, coordinating with your primary care physician to get you the help you need. Our Granbury, TX, team wants to help you get a good night’s sleep with the right treatment.
The dental practice of Kyle W. Rogers, DDS, uses the latest modern technology and a comprehensive approach to help you treat sleep apnea. We want you to sleep better, of course, but more importantly, we want to help you prevent health problems and enhance your quality of life. If you think you might have sleep apnea, contact our office to schedule a comprehensive consultation.
CALL US: (817) 579-0177 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
What is Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the throat muscles relax and block the airway during sleep. The body disrupts sleep to regain normal breathing. The vibration of the relaxed throat muscles cause snoring, which is a common indicator of sleep apnea. The interrupted sleep and decreased oxygen caused by OSA are not directly fatal, but can lead to significant health issues, including:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Poor concentration
- Morning headaches
- Irritability
- Depression
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
Sleep apnea can also cause teeth grinding as the jaw gets pushed forward to open the airway. This pressure can lead to toothache and worn or fractured teeth. Teeth may also become yellowed due to the stress on the dentin, or inner tooth structure.
Types of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is commonly caused by obstructed airflow through the throat muscles. When air doesn’t get inside your body to deliver oxygen, breathing is blocked, and you end up gasping for air. This condition can cause you to wake up periodically, snore loudly, or feel tired in the morning. There are two main types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your throat muscles relax and cause you to snore. Even more concerning is that the relaxed state of these muscles can block your airway, signaling your brain to wake up so you can restore normal breathing. Repetitive waking can prevent you from enjoying a deep, restful sleep.
Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain is unable to transmit signals effectively to your throat tissue, so your airway becomes blocked and breathing is difficult. Shortness of breath will cause you to wake up frequently throughout the night, preventing you from falling into a deep sleep. Some people can experience a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea, which can lead to associated health risks.
Causes and Dangers of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Kyle W. Rogers, DDS, can identify whether you are at risk of sleep apnea. We use advanced technology to evaluate the face and throat, including the teeth, soft tissue, and bone structure. Dr. Rogers can help to identify any structural issues or symptoms that make sleep apnea likely to occur. Your preliminary diagnosis is followed up by a medical evaluation to confirm sleep apnea. Once diagnosed, you can begin treatment to counter the disorder and improve your wellbeing.
Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition where your breathing is interrupted during sleep. Because regular breathing is critical to your health, having the flow of air disrupted while you sleep could result in many different health consequences. For example, sleep apnea is often a precursor to heart disease, depression, high blood pressure, and excessive daytime fatigue. If untreated, your sleep apnea could also affect performance during daily activities, causing you to feel tired and unproductive at school or work.
Many people may not even know they have sleep apnea. Chronic loud snoring is one of the main symptoms of having sleep apnea, but it is not the only one. Some other symptoms include:
- Waking up gasping for air for no apparent reason
- The feeling that you have gastric acid in your throat
- Waking up with a sore/dry throat or headache often
- Feeling like you are not getting enough sleep
- Racing or fluttering heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty concentrating or staying awake
Once you understand that you have sleep apnea, you can take the steps needed to get it under control. The first step is to talk about your concerns with a professional like Dr. Rogers, who specializes in treating sleep apnea.
How Sleep Apnea Can Affect Your Health
On its own, sleep apnea can make sleeping difficult for both you and your partner. It can leave you feeling exhausted because you are not getting proper sleep. But it is not just your lack of sleep you need to be concerned about. Sleep apnea increases the risk of developing the following serious health conditions.
Heart and Cardiovascular Disease: Your risk for having a heart attack, stroke, or atrial fibrillation increases if you have sleep apnea. Frequently waking during the night and decreased oxygen levels puts a significant amount of the stress on your body.
High Blood Pressure: Waking up multiple times during the night, whether you are aware you are doing so or not, stresses your body. It causes various hormones in your body to go into overdrive and your blood oxygen level to drop. These are two factors that can cause high blood pressure. Treating sleep apnea can help lower blood pressure.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Sleep apnea can worsen the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This effect can cause further sleep disruptions and increase your risk of complications from GERD, including ulcers and abnormal lesions in your esophagus.
Adult Asthma and Other Respiratory Conditions: If you have a mild case of sleep apnea, you could stop breathing up to 14 times an hour. A severe case is when you stop breathing 30 times or more per hour. These breathing disturbances deprive your body of oxygen. Low blood oxygen levels can worsen respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome: Sleep apnea has been associated with weight gain because it can make your body produce more ghrelin, which is a hormone that makes you crave sweets and carbs. OSA also increases your risk of developing metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a group of risk factors that lead to heart disease, and includes:
- High blood sugar
- High blood pressure
- High LDL cholesterol levels
- Waistlines that are larger than normal
Diabetes: If you have sleep apnea, you are more likely to develop insulin resistance, and your cells do not take in insulin as they should. It can lead to high blood sugar levels and the development of type 2 diabetes. If you are obese, you are at an even higher risk.
Increased Risk of Injury from Accidents: Poor sleep from OSA can negatively affect your attention span, your balance, and your body’s ability to process external stimuli. You may find yourself being injured more often from being in clumsy little accidents or, to a greater extreme, having an automobile accident from being unable to pay attention to the road.
Sleep Apnea Treatments
The (CPAP) Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine is a commonly prescribed treatment for the disorder. The device is comprised of a mask that delivers a gently pressurized flow of air to keep the airway open. The quality of the air is increased by filtering to remove dust and impurities. For those who show intolerance to the CPAP machine, we work with your insurance provider to get coverage for alternative treatment, such as dental appliances.
Although the standard treatment for sleep apnea is a CPAP machine, we understand that not everyone is able to tolerate the machine’s mask worn during sleep. Kyle W. Rogers, DDS, offers state-of-the-art sleep apnea appliances as an alternative solution to obstructive sleep apnea.
Some appliances move your jaw forward to stop the tongue and soft tissues from blocking the airway. Others focus on repositioning the tongue to keep the jaw and soft tissues in place. Some appliances will have the jaw move in small increments, and other appliances will allow the jaw to move several directions without dislodging the mouthpiece.
Our team works directly with Glidewell appliances to find the most effective and comfortable treatment for your condition. By providing an appliance that widens the airway or restricts tongue movement, you avoid closure of the airway, and apnea episodes do not occur.
Learn More About Your Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
Kyle W. Rogers, DDS is here to treat your obstructive sleep apnea through the use of oral appliances. As a comprehensive dental practice, sleep apnea treatments are an essential way we can help you protect your oral health. Contact our skilled Granbury, TX, team today to schedule an appointment and regain a good night’s sleep!
CALL US: (817) 579-0177 REQUEST APPOINTMENT