Sleep Apnea Treatment in Springfield

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common, potentially serious sleeping disorder that occurs when you experience repeated pauses in breathing while you’re sleeping. These breathing interruptions can last 10 seconds or even longer, and can happen several hundred times a night in extreme cases. Although this sleeping disorder can affect anyone regardless of their age, it’s commonly seen in people over the age of 40.

How Do I Know If I Have Sleep Apnea?

This sleeping disorder is characterized by loud, frequent snoring; however, it can easily remain undiagnosed since people aren’t always fully awake when they experience interruptions in breathing. In many cases, snoring and other symptoms go unnoticed until someone else makes you aware of them. In addition to loud and frequent snoring, these are the other most common sleep apnea symptoms to be aware of:

• Frequent breaks or pauses in breathing while sleeping
• Gasping for air during sleep
• Frequently waking up with a headache
• Daytime fatigue and sleepiness
• Irritability
• Problems concentrating

What Are the Most Common Sleep Apnea Causes?

During your waking hours, the muscles in your throat are stiff, helping air flow into your lungs. In people with this sleeping disorder, these muscles become relaxed while you’re sleeping, causing your throat to become narrow and limiting airflow. When this occurs, you may snore loudly or make choking or gasping sounds as you try to breathe. Your body and brain become deprived of oxygen, and you are partially awakened when this happens. There are also several risk factors for this sleeping disorder. These include:

• Being overweight
• Having a neck size larger than 16 inches
• High blood pressure
• Male gender
• Family history
• Frequent use of alcohol or tobacco

What Is Sleep Apnea Treatment?

There are some lifestyle changes you can make to improve your symptoms, such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and sleeping on your side. Oral appliance therapy is a very common treatment option that helps many people find relief from their symptoms. For more serious cases of this disorder, surgery may be needed. To learn more about the treatment options for sleep apnea in Springfield, we encourage you to call our office to make an appointment. We’ll carefully assess your symptoms and determine if oral appliance therapy is right for you.

What Is an Oral Appliance for Sleep Apnea?

A sleep apnea mouthpiece keeps your airway open during sleep and prevents interruptions in breathing by gently maintaining your jaw in a forward position. You’ll only wear it while you’re sleeping, and it’s very similar in appearance to an orthodontic retainer or a sports mouth guard. It’s also custom-made to fit the shape of your mouth precisely.

What Is the Cost of an Oral Appliance?

How much you pay for an oral appliance depends on if you have medical insurance and the type of device you receive. Please contact us for more information about the cost of your oral appliance.

How Can I Benefit from Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT)?

One of the primary benefits of oral appliance therapy is the immediate improvement you’ll see in the quality of your sleep. A sleep apnea mouth guard is also much more comfortable to wear compared to other treatments for this sleeping disorder, and it’s also very easy to clean and care for. The small size of the oral appliance makes it very portable and convenient for traveling. A further benefit of oral appliance therapy is that it’s completely non-invasive and eliminates the need for surgery. To experience the benefits of oral appliance therapy for yourself, contact our office to make an appointment.

Will Insurance Cover Oral Appliance Therapy?

Oral appliance therapy is covered by most insurance companies, and it’s common for some or all of your costs to be covered. Please contact your insurance provider for more information about your coverage. You can also speak to a member of our friendly staff with any questions you have about the cost of your oral appliance.

With the help of an oral appliance for sleep apnea in Springfield, you can eliminate loud snoring and breathing interruptions and start experiencing a restful night’s sleep. Make an appointment today and take the first step toward improving your health and sleep quality.