Sleep Apnea Treatment

Snoring and sleep apnea are breathing disorders that occur during sleep due to narrowing or closure of the airway when the muscles relax during sleep.

Snoring is caused by partial closure of the airway caused by soft tissue in the back of the throat collapsing. There are two types of sleep apnea: Obstructive and Central.

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) falls between snoring and sleep apnea on the range of sleep disordered breathing.  Unlike sleep apnea patients, someone with UARS does not stop breathing. Instead, the resistance causes fragmented sleep and can cause numerous symptoms including sleepiness or fatigue, clenching of the teeth, headaches, reflux, weight gain, TMJ discomfort, and fibromyalgia. 

If you start treating your sleep disordered breathing early when it is classified as Airway Resistance, you may prevent it from turning into the more severe problem of obstructive sleep apnea.

Unfortunately, most people with Airway Resistance don’t know they have it and as a result don’t get any treatment.   If you start treating your sleep disordered breathing early when it is classified as Airway Resistance, you may prevent it from turning into the more severe problem of obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Indicators of sleep apnea may include:

  • Loud snoring.

  • Choking or gasping during sleep.

  • Fighting sleepiness during the day (even at work or while driving).

  • Morning headaches.

  • Memory or learning problems.

  • Feeling irritable.

  • Not being able to concentrate on your work.

  • Mood swings or personality changes (perhaps feeling depressed)

  • Dry throat when you wake up.

  • Frequent urination at night.

To see if your symptoms are being caused by sleep apnea, Click Here to download our comprehensive diagnostic form. Next, contact Dr. L. Patrick Grisanti  in Rockwall, TX, to schedule your comprehensive consultation today.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the airway totally closes many times during the night and can reduce oxygen levels in the body and disrupt sleep. This causes the brain to react to the lack of oxygen by alerting the body to arouse from sleep.  This can occur hundreds of times a night resulting in excessive daytime sleepiness, clenching/grinding,  myofascial pain, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD),  irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, reflux, depression, heart attack, stroke, and even death.  

In order to confirm a diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a sleep study is required using a polysomnogram (PSG) in a sleep laboratory or home sleep study (ambulatory). A physician should be the one to diagnose the sleep disorder. Dr. Grisanti will work closely together with your physician to establish the best treatment for you. Treatment options will vary depending on the level of sleep disorder, and close consultation with your treating physician is required. Dr. Grisanti is a general dentist providing treatment for sleep apnea.

Treatment Options

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): Considered the gold standard treatment option for moderate to severe OSA, this provides a steady stream of pressurized air to patients through a mask that they wear during sleep.

Oral Appliances: An oral appliance fabricated by Dr. Grisanti is an effective treatment option for mild to moderate OSA and upper airway resistance syndrome, or for patients who cannot tolerate sleeping with the CPAP device.  These appliances look similar to athletic mouthguards and help maintain an open airway by repositioning or stabilizing the lower jaw. 

Surgery: When noninvasive treatments fail, surgery is another alternative.  Most surgical options address reducing or removing tissue from the soft palate, uvula, tonsils, adenoids, or tongue.

If you are concerned about your snoring or suspect you have sleep apnea or any other sleep disordered breathing problem, contact our office for a consultation and screening.