If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you are not alone. Fortunately there are many options in treating your sleep apnea that can lead to a restful sleep.
CPAP
The most common remedy to sleep apnea is the CPAP machine. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It refers to the pressurized air that is delivered through a mask in order to ensure that the airways remain open during sleep. The CPAP machine is a small box with a motorized fan inside. The fan draws air from the room, gently pressurizes it, and then delivers it at a setting specific to your needs. The air intake section of the CPAP machine has a filter on it to eliminate the intake of dust, smoke, or other impurities in the air. This filter should be replaced as necessary. The CPAP machine can be used in remedying any type of sleep apnea, however for more moderate cases there are more comfortable alternatives to the CPAP Machine.
Dental Solutions
If you have been diagnosed with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, ask our doctors if a dental solution is right for you. There are two common dental solutions: The Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) and the Tongue Retaining Device (TRD). The purpose of both of these devices is to reposition the tongue so that the airway cannot close during sleep, even if the muscles relax. The Tongue Retaining Device is put on your tongue in order to suction it away from the back of the throat. The Mandibular Advancement Device repositions the jaw forward, which aligns the muscles so that the airway cannot close, similar to the Tongue Retaining device. There is a difference in comfort, the MAD is designed as more of a traditional mouthpiece while the TRD is a piece that the tongue goes into in order to position it forward. The choice in piece depends mostly on your comfort although the TRD can only be used in mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea.
Tongue retaining device
Mandibular Advancement Device
CPAP machine