Ok, so it’s time to do something about your own, or possibly your partner’s snoring. You’re sick of feeling sleepy or tired during the day, or maybe your doctor told you that your sleep may be a problem.
Have you been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
We’re here to partner with you to improve your overall health. We acknowledge comprehensive care goes beyond just your teeth and gums and now we’ll delve into two mainstream options.
First Steps
Your GP is best positioned to organise a sleep study which will provide us with a diagnosis. Why is this important? We’re diagnosing a medical condition which directly impacts your health. The diagnosis determines the most appropriate treatment.
In Part 1 we discussed Sleep Disordered Breathing and Sleep Apnea. There are different grades, or categories within each diagnosis and this is essential know, to ensure you get the best treatment and outcome.
The Gold Standard
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) has long been considered the gold standard for the treatment of Sleep Apnea. This basically involves fitting a face mask, with a leak proof seal on your face and trying to sleep while air is literally forced into your nose and mouth. Doesn’t sound comfortable, does it?
Unfortunately, many people can’t tolerate it and another ‘gold standard’ has evolved over recent years.
The Alternative – Mandibular Advancement Splint
Due to poor comfort and patient acceptance with CPAP another treatment has been evolving over the years called a Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS).
As discussed in Part 1, the problem occurs when:
- Someone goes into a deep sleep;
- Those muscles which normally keep the airway open, relax;
- The airway collapses & closes, causing it to become ‘blocked’;
- The person is unable to breathe;
- The person then wakes from deep sleep in order to take a breath; and
- This interrupts their sleep significantly, preventing them from getting the important, ‘deep sleep’.
An MAS is a device which is worn in the mouth like a mouthguard. It works by holding the jaw and tongue in a posture which prevents the airway from closing when the person goes into a deep sleep and the muscles relax.
Advantages of Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS)
- Much more comfortable and less obtrusive than a CPAP machine, many people choose to have an MAS due to its comfort.
- It’s quicker and easier to position.
- As an MAS is smaller and less obtrusive compared to CPAP, it interferes less with your lifestyle. For example, it is much easier when travelling.
- An MAS can be removed from its container and positioned in seconds, compared to a CPAP machine which needs to be set up and requires a power connection.
Who’d have thought dentistry and sleep would be so closely related?
At Define Dental, we understand this connection and how it will affect your overall well-being. If you’d like to learn more about sleep, snoring and mandibular advancement splints, please reach out. Call us on 55972100, so together, we can explore the most effective solution to ensure you, or a loved one, more restful and rejuvenating sleep, night after night.