When you have sleep apnea, you often wake up during your sleep cycle due to a lack of air. When this happens, patients often make a throaty sound which is similar to snoring and can wake up, startled and short of breath. You may not notice that you are waking up, even though it happens hundreds of times a night. Your healthy sleep patterns are disrupted in a way that may have some severe health consequences.
Our Fairfax dentist, Dr. Pamela Marzban can provide snoring and sleep apnea relief with a number of different methods. She is currently the only dentist in the Burke, VA or Fairfax, VA area providing the revolutionary at-home sleep test called the WatchPAT ™. Call 703-940-1350 to learn more about snoring relief and sleep apnea treatment.
Sleep Apnea and Snoring Causes
There are two different kinds of sleep apnea: obstructive and central. People can have both kinds, but obstructive sleep apnea is far more common.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your airway collapses at night, cutting off your air supply. In the daytime, your muscles and gravity are working to keep your throat and airways open. Lying down at night-time means that your muscles relax and are working against gravity. A partial airway collapse causes turbulent airflow that vibrates tissues, causing snoring.
Your risk of snoring and sleep apnea can be influenced by many factors, including:
- Your anatomy
- Obesity
- Neck size
- Alcohol and drug use
- Prescription medications
- Sleeping position
- Allergies and other causes of inflammation
- Age
Many developmental factors, including tongue tie as a child, can affect the size and shape of your airway. In some cases, tongue tie release can help adults get better results from sleep apnea treatment. Although the most likely sufferers of sleep apnea are middle-aged men and postmenopausal women, people of all ages and body sizes can develop it.
Sleep apnea sufferers often have:
- Memory problems
- Limited ability to focus
- Heightened risk of heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Coronary artery diseases
Studies suggest that sleep apnea sufferers can be up to six times more likely to die from these causes than non-sufferers are. Happily, our Burke, VA and Fairfax, VA dentist, Dr. Pamela Marzban can provide a number of valuable treatment options which can successfully eliminate it.
What Is The WatchPAT™
When sleep apnea is left untreated, your breathing can stop or pause for approximately 10-20 seconds hundreds of times per night. This means your sleep is interrupted and you are not getting the most restful slumber. But the first challenge of sleep apnea treatment is successful diagnosis, since as much as 80% of sufferers are undiagnosed. Some may attribute their symptoms to other illnesses. They may have been diagnosed with other conditions.
For accurate, at-home sleep apnea screening and treatment, the FDA-approved WatchPAT ™ is an ambulatory device which allows for comprehensive sleep testing – all within the comfort of your own bedroom, instead of at a clinic or sleep center.
The precision information our Burke, VA and Fairfax, VA dentist receives is real-time, PSG sleep analysis with exact sleep times, interruptions, and sleep states. With this kind of data, you and Dr. Pamela Marzban can consult with a sleep doctor to craft your customized, healthy treatment plan.
Dental Treatment Options
When you are a sleep apnea sufferer, it is critical that you first get a correct diagnosis. Our WatchPAT™device provides a comprehensive diagnosis to determine the severity of it.
With moderate or mild sleep apnea, a tailored oral appliance works to address causes of sleep apnea like:
- Tongue displacement
- Jaw alignment issues
Oral appliances such as the MicrO2, are successful treatment options and are safe, comfortable, and easy to use. If you suffer from more severe forms of sleep apnea, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device is the medically recommended treatment for success. However, some people who cannot tolerate CPAP may use oral appliances instead to treat it.
We also offer myofunctional therapy to improve treatment for your sleep apnea. With a few simple exercises, you can reduce your sleep apnea and get better results no matter what treatment option you choose. We work with a certified myofunctional therapist (CMT) to ensure optimal treatment for your sleep apnea.
Find out more about sleep apnea diagnosis with our WatchPAT ™ device or relief with oral appliances. Please call 703-940-1350 or contact Dr. Marzban now for your initial consultation.