Snoring/Sleep Apnea

About half of people snore at some point in their lives. Snoring is more common in men, although many women snore. It appears to run in families and becomes more common as you get older. About 40 percent of adult men and 24 percent of adult women are habitual snorers. Men become less likely to snore after the age of 70. Sleeping on your back may make you more likely to snore. It may also occur as your throat muscles relax from use of alcohol or other depressants. Congestion from a cold or allergies can also cause you to snore.

Light snoring may not disrupt your overall sleep quality. Heavy snoring may be associated with obstructive sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder and a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many other health problems. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that causes you to temporarily stop breathing when you are asleep. If you are regularly tired during the day even though you have had sufficient sleep or if your snoring is paired with a choking or gasping sound, you may have sleep apnea.

Treatment

Sleep apnea is manageable using non-invasive approaches including CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine or oral appliance therapy.

Many individuals find the CPAP machine is not right for them. Some problems are: the wrong size or style CPAP mask, trouble getting used to wearing the CPAP device, difficulty tolerating forced air, stuffy nose, dry mouth, feeling claustrophobic, leaky mask, skin irritation, pressure sores, and difficulty falling asleep.

You can see why oral appliance therapy Dr. Fang can offer you might be a better alternative! He can provide sleep testing and develop a custom-fit appliance for you.

The treatment guidelines of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine has designated oral appliances as the first line of treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea.

The oral custom fabricated appliance is a small plastic device that fits in your mouth over your teeth while you sleep that stops you from snoring. It may resemble a sports mouth guard or an orthodontic retainer. Dr. Fang is trained in sleep medicine and can fit you with an oral appliance that will allow you to reclaim quality sleep patterns and avoid some of the serious risk factors associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

This device is truly a breakthrough in the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.