Sleep Apnea is a serious sleep breathing disorder, and the consequences can go far beyond being unable to get a good night’s rest. This disorder causes interruptions in your breathing when you sleep. These pauses could occur as many as 30 times per hour lasting as long as 20 seconds each, leaving you fatigued and eventually increasing your risk of several chronic, systemic, and life-threatening ailments.
Sleep apnea sufferers in the Grand Rapids area can find relief from the expert dentists at TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan. Dr. Jerry Mulder and Dr. Allyson Mulder are sleep apnea experts that can provide you with relief. To understand more about this dangerous disorder, here are some frequently asked questions and answers about sleep apnea, its causes, and how we provide treatment.
Sleep apnea occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep, usually because of a collapse of soft tissue in the throat when the muscles become relaxed or because the airway becomes obstructed by the tongue or tonsils. These obstructions can make the airway so small that your system does not receive the adequate amount of air—or they may completely cut off the flow of oxygen to the body and brain. Eventually, the lack of oxygen rouses the brain from sleep, sending signals to the body that it needs to breathe. You probably will not even consciously wake up when this happens, but it disrupts the sleep cycle, thus depriving you of the deepest stage of sleep during which restoration to mind and body occur.
Any patient of any age can develop sleep apnea—even young children. However, men are more likely than women to develop the disorder.
Certain hereditary and lifestyle factors also can put you at a higher risk for sleep apnea, such as:
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) uses a set of parameters to determine the severity of a case of sleep apnea based on the number of breathing interruptions per hour:
Whether you experience a mild, moderate, or severe case of sleep apnea, you are depriving your body of oxygen, a necessary nutrient that helps the body thrive. Diagnosis is vital for any degree of sleep apnea to reduce a variety of health risks.
When you have sleep apnea, you are unable to get the quality sleep needed to be at your best on a daily basis. Over time, this lack of rest can affect your performance at work and school. It can change your mood and behavior, making you more irritable and short-tempered, eventually damaging your relationships with friends and family. Constant daytime fatigue may also make you at risk for an accident either while driving or while at work, especially if you operate machinery. Untreated sleep apnea also is related to long-term health consequences. Click here to learn more about how sleep loss affects your life.
Data compiled by the SleepApnea.org web site estimates that millions of Americans with sleep apnea never receive treatment.
This is one of the worst things you can do, as living with untreated sleep apnea over a prolonged period of time can increase your risk factor for the following chronic ailments:
The findings of several recent studies also have found sleep apnea patients are a staggering 68 percent more likely to develop cancer.
Sleep apnea dentistry focuses on the root cause of sleep apnea—the airway issue causing the problem instead of just treating your fatigue and sleepless nights with medication. At TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan, our doctors can conduct a thorough examination to identify what is causing the airway restriction, and what type of oral appliance is ideal to help you resume the normal airflow and eliminate the obstruction.
We prefer to use oral appliance therapy, rather than CPAP, to treat sleep apnea. All of the oral appliances we use are customized and adjustable. Each oral appliance prescribed by our doctors is adjustable and patient-friendly. Our oral appliances are customized for each patient, based on impressions taken of the mouth. These oral appliances all work in a similar fashion—they keep the lower jaw in its ideal resting position, preventing a collapse of soft tissue and allowing you to maintain an open airway during sleep.
Click here to learn more about how TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan treats sleep apnea.
If you suffer sleep apnea, haven’t you gone long enough without the quality rest you need? Contact our office today at (616) 929-0892 to schedule a consultation.
TMJ & Sleep Disorders of Michigan is here to serve patients in the areas of Grand Rapids, Holland, and Big Rapids, Michigan.
You may also fill out the form below to ask your questions & to request an appointment.
