An estimated 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that involves periods of time throughout the night where you stop breathing and it causes you to lose sleep. The most common type of sleep apnea is OSA or obstructive sleep apnea. With this type of sleep apnea, your throat muscles relax during the night and block your air pathway. If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, your doctor may have prescribed a CPAP machine to assist you to sleep. However, some people find CPAP machines uncomfortable or ineffective, or both. If you find yourself removing your CPAP machine in the middle of the night because you are uncomfortable, it is likely that a local family dentist such as Impression Dental Care in Huntington Beach will be able to help you in sleep apnea treatment.

That’s right! A dentist can help to treat your sleep apnea. In fact, over 100 different oral appliances are approved by the FDA to treat obstructive sleep apnea. It is estimated that these appliances are equally as effective as a CPAP machine in many areas. Oral appliances have the benefit of being more comfortable for many people who dislike CPAP machines.

Advantages Of Oral Appliances

There are a few different reasons why people prefer oral Appliance therapy over CPAP machines. One of the most obvious reasons is that they are easy to wear. However, something that is usually less considered is that CPAP machines are very difficult to move around. Oral appliances are extremely portable. CPAP machines are large, heavy, and contain a large amount of fluid that can be difficult to transport. On the other hand, oral appliances are very small and easily portable. Another huge advantage is that they are easy to clean, unlike CPAP machines which can cause respiratory infection.

If you have any more questions regarding oral appliances and sleep apnea treatment in Huntington Beach, please contact Impression Dental Care today.