Combating sleep apnea with comfortable treatment from your Michigan dentist

By Dr. Richard Bernstein

Dr. Bernstein is your Michigan dentist to consult with regard to sleep apnea. Although classified as a sleep disorder, there are viable solutions for the treatment of sleep apnea found outside of medicine. Finding the most suitable and comfortable form of treatment is important in order to return to your best health, which is why it is beneficial to consider the various forms of sleep apnea treatment available in the Michigan area.

Typically, those with sleep apnea tend to believe they have a snoring problem. In many cases, it is someone else in the home who alerts the patient that something more significant and worrisome is occurring - that the patient seems to be gasping for breath while he or she sleeps. Sleep apnea is more than just snoring, it is a condition that poses a real hazard to one's overall health and well-being. Affecting more than just sleep, this condition may make you feel:

Extremely tired during the day, even to the point of dozing off at stoplights.
Moody and irritable, or depressed.
Jittery or hyper.
Forgetful or easily confused, with foggy thinking.
Groggy and unable to complete tasks in a timely manner.

These are just a few of the signs that sleep apnea may be a problem. If any sound familiar, you are encouraged to look into a sleep study. If you feel restless at night when you should be resting comfortably, snore loudly, feel out of breath when you wake up, or wake frequently at night to get a drink or use the bathroom, you may be experiencing real challenges with proper breathing at night. Dr. Bernstein has the expertise to perform an assessment of your symptoms and devise a treatment plan to help you get the sleep you need for a healthy body and mind.

Because there are various factors that may play a role in sleep apnea, or the severity thereof, there are certain approaches that may facilitate a return to health. If obesity is an underlying cause, patients are advised to seek medical guidance for optimal weight loss, which then reduces the pressure on the airway during sleep. Some people benefit from decongestants, or positional therapy that keeps them in the most appropriate sleeping position. These approaches may be best suited to complement professional treatment from either your physician or your dentist.

Sleep apnea is a serious disorder that has far-reaching effects, so should be evaluated by a professional. In our practice, we work with patients to create a custom oral appliance that keeps the jaw in the right position to facilitate the breathing process. This treatment tends to be more comfortable for most than the CPAP machine, and is therefore easier to comply with.

Get the sleep you need for your best health. Contact us for your assessment and consultation regarding sleep apnea treatment with your Michigan dentist.