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Snoring can cause problems for both yourself , your partner and your family. Snoring may be an indication of a more serious condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea(OSA). OSA is where the tongue falls to the back of the throat causing an obstruction which stops air passing through. This causes the patient to take a deep breath which in turn wakes them up momentarily. This repeats right throughout the night and prevents the sufferer from having a restful sleep. Contrary to belief both adults and children of all sizes and shapes can suffer from OSA.
Signs and Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Intermittent Snoring
- Waking gasping or choking
- Reflux
- Fragmented Light Sleep
- Poor Memory
- Irritability
- Morning Headaches
- High Blood Pressure
- Clumsiness
- Teeth Grinding
- Bed wetting ( Children )
- ADD / ADHD
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
If OSA is not treated it can cause cardiovascular disease( strokes),heart attacks , high blood pressure , weight gain and a variety of other medical problems.
Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The diagnosis of OSA is by way of an overnight sleep study. This can be done in hospital or at home in the comfort of your own bed. Here at Progressive Dental we have Sleep Equipment for you to take home. The equipment is brought back the following morning and the flashcard is then sent to a sleep physician to be eported on.
Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
1. Mild to Moderate OSA can be treated with an oral appliance.
This appliance moves the lower jaw down and forward slightly which in turn takes the tongue with it and opens the airway. There are many oral appliances on the market but here at Progressive Dental we use SomnoDent MAS . This appliance is the gold standard of oral appliances for both snoring and sleep apnea. It is custom made to each individual patient and has a soft inner lining that is both comfortable and protects the teeth. The appliance is comprised of both upper and lower plates. It is adjustable so patients can be re- evaluated and adjusted if required.
At Progressive Dental we use Eccovision technology to evaluate a patients airway .
Eccovision consists of two components
- Pharyngometer – This sends sound waves down the oral airway and plots out via a computer where the collapse is and whether moving the lower jaw forward and down opens up the airway. This also enables us to decide whether you are a good candidate for an oral appliance.
- Rhinometer – This sends sound waves up the nasal passages and lets us know whether there are any blockages which would prevent the patient from breathing properly through the nose.
These tests take only seconds to perform and are painless and an essential part of successful oral appliance therapy.
2. CPAP – Continuous Positive Pressure
This treatment consists of a mask and hose which is attached to a machine. This machine pumps air up through the nose which in turn pushes the tongue forward and prevents obstruction. This is an effective treatment but the machine can be noisy and the mask uncomfortable.
3. Surgery
In severe OSA cases surgery can be performed. This is done by an ENT surgeon.
For more information on Snoring and Sleep Apnea or to request a consultation, please call 02 9953 0895 or click here to email us.
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