Sleep Apnea Treatment

Do you snore loud enough to disturb your sleep partner? Have you been waking up feeling tired even though you slept through the night? 

We all experience these symptoms occasionally. But if they’re a chronic problem for you that diminishes your quality of life, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be the culprit. Fortunately, Dr. Amanda Matthews and Dr. Edward Bayley are dentists who offer customized sleep apnea treatment for their Wilmington, DE patients. 

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a life-threatening disorder that robs you of restful sleep and creates serious health risks.

As you fall asleep, your tongue and the muscles in your throat soften and relax. This is normal, but if you have sleep apnea, the movement can block your airway and prevent you from breathing freely.

Since your body can only go for so long without oxygen, it forces you to wake up and breathe, and you gasp for air. When you live with sleep apnea, these episodes can occur hundreds of times in one night so you don't get any restful sleep.

In many cases, the partner is the first person to become aware of the problem because of the annoying snoring, gasping or snorting sounds that result from a blocked airway. But if you live alone, you may simply feel tired all the time and not realize it’s due to sleep apnea. 

Common symptoms of sleep apnea are: 

• Fatigue during the day
• Difficulty concentrating 
• Morning headaches
• Irritability or mood swings

These symptoms reduce your quality of life and put you at risk for high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, stroke, and drowsy driving accidents. For decades, the first-line treatment for sleep apnea has been a CPAP machine and mask, and is still recommended for severe sleep apnea.

But at Exceptional Dentistry, we have a sleep apnea treatment option that helps many of our patients.

How Your Dentist Treats Sleep Apnea

If you wonder what your dentist in Wilmington, DE has to do with sleep apnea treatment, your mouth is a unique window to overall systemic health! Your teeth and oral tissues can give Dr. Matthews and Dr. Bayley clues that tell them about how well you breathe. Tooth wear, erosion, jaw structure, tooth position, tissue, tonsil, tongue, and soft palate characteristics are just a few of the ways they evaluate your airway health. 

We offer a full range of services to help you breathe better. One that works well for many people is a customized oral appliance that you wear over your teeth while you sleep.

The device works by positioning your lower jaw slightly forward so that when you relax during sleep, your airway stays open. In many cases, this simple movement helps our patients breathe freely and comfortably and get the restful sleep they desperately need.

Screening for Sleep Apnea

The first step is to determine how severe your sleep apnea is. At Exceptional Dentistry, we offer home sleep study screenings that are comfortable and easy to use. In some cases, Dr. Matthews and Dr. Bayley might recommend a more in-depth test done at an outside sleep lab. 

Since Dr. Matthews and Dr. Bayley work closely with your primary doctor or sleep physician, they will be able to recommend the safest, healthiest approach to allow you to breathe freely and rest comfortably.

Please Call Us for a Consultation

Untreated sleep apnea threatens your general health and well-being and can be a life-threatening disorder. If you’re always tired and suspect it might be sleep apnea, please call Dr. Matthews or Dr. Bayley to schedule an appointment.