Dr. Melissa Sheets, DDS, owner of Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center
“I’m not snoring anymore. I’m not waking up with headaches!” “I can’t sleep without it!”
The reason: These patients were fitted with an oral appliance to treat their sleep apnea.
“Sleep apnea is not only one of the most underdiagnosed medical conditions in the U.S., but can also be one of the most serious,” said Dr. Melissa Sheets, DDS, owner of Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center in Omaha. An estimated 90% of people who suffer from sleep apnea aren’t even aware of it, she added.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea occurs when you stop breathing during sleep long enough for your oxygen level to drop to a point where your brain senses danger. People with sleep apnea rarely get a full night’s rest without waking up often — sometimes hundreds of times.
Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is the most common type and occurs when the airway collapses during sleep. Risks can be serious, including dementia, heart attacks, strokes and pulmonary embolisms.
“It’s like you’re suffocating,” Dr. Sheets said. “Your muscles relax, and the tissue in your throat closes if the muscles are unsupported.”
Being overweight or having a narrow airway are the most common causes of OSA. Severe cases are best treated with a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP machine, which provides airflow at a designated pressure to the upper airway during sleep. That airflow keeps the airway open, allowing for uninterrupted breathing and sleep.
CPAP treatment typically involves wearing a mask that covers the nose (and often the mouth) and is an extremely effective treatment — if a patient wears it.
“That’s the challenge with CPAP — it can be awkward, uncomfortable and cumbersome, which is why many patients abandon treatment,” Dr. Sheets said.
Other options, like Inspire — an implanted nerve stimulator — and newer weight loss medications are getting more attention. However, Inspire requires surgery and follow-up adjustments. And while weight loss can help reduce severity, it doesn’t always eliminate sleep apnea or improve sleep quality on its own.
Treatment with results
Thankfully, there is another treatment that’s effective, sustainable and noninvasive: an oral appliance similar to a mouthpiece worn at night.
The appliance moves the lower jaw forward, which also moves the tongue forward, and allows for unobstructed airflow. The appliances are small, easy to travel with, and comfortable enough to wear all night every night.
“For many patients, this is a great option — and one that’s better for the sleep partner, too,” she said.
Diagnosis and treatment begin with an evaluation at Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center. If not already diagnosed, a sleep test — often done at home — follows.
Sleep physicians review the test results and recommend treatment options. Most medical insurance covers diagnosis and treatment, and the staff at Advanced Dental Sleep Treatment Center ensures patients know what to expect along the way.
“The result? A good night’s sleep, often for the first time in a long time,” Dr. Sheets said.
For more information or to book an appointment, visit whywesnore.com or call 402.493.4175.
