Sleep Apnea Treatment - Gainesville, FL
Breathe Easier with an Oral Appliance
Do you always feel exhausted no matter how much sleep you get? Has this caused you to nearly get in a motor vehicle accident because you almost fell asleep behind the wheel? If you’re struggling to make it through the day, you may be suffering from sleep apnea, a serious condition that affects over 20 million Americans every night. Thankfully, Dr. Gabriel Nossa can help alleviate your symptoms using a small, custom-made oral appliance for sleep apnea treatment in Gainesville. By just wearing it to bed each night, you’ll be able to get the deep, restful sleep you need to wake up in the morning feeling fully refreshed and energized.
What Causes Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes frequent pauses in breathing throughout the night with each event lasting potentially for 1 minute or longer. There are multiple forms of the sleep disorder, but the most common occurs from an obstruction in the airway.
Obstructive sleep apnea results from the soft tissues in the back of the mouth or throat collapsing when they relax. This causes a blockage in the airway, which is why snoring is a common symptom. Snoring results from vibrations in the back of the mouth when air passes by the obstruction.
Although it can occur in anyone, people who are overweight or have a large neck circumference have an increased risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea. No matter the cause, it’s essential you get treatment right away. Not only can it significantly impact your quality of life, but it also raises your risk of several potentially deadly complications, like heart attack and stroke.
Treatment Options
If you suspect you have obstructive sleep apnea, you’ll need to undergo a study to monitor you while sleeping. Based on the information gathered, you have a couple of different treatment options to meet your needs.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Dr. Nossa is proud to provide TAP sleep appliances as a CPAP alternative, and he is one of just three dentists who offers this service in a 50-mile radius. TAP appliances are custom-made mouthguards that a patient wears to bed. They work by gently shifting the jaw forward, which naturally opens the airway, allows someone to breathe normally throughout the night, and prevents apnea episodes.
Of all sleep oral appliances, the TAP system is one of the most well-studied and most consistent, shown to have a 90% success rate in reducing sleep apnea symptoms across 37+ peer-reviewed trials.
myTAP is a low-profile oral appliance that can be fitted and worn in as little as 15 minutes, allowing a patient to start their treatment without delay. Its soft but durable material is shaped for maximum effectiveness while leaving plenty of room for the tongue, leading to better comfort. It also has a single point of adjustment, making it easy for patients to find their perfect fit.
customTAP offers all of the advantages of myTAP, but with more flexibility, as the appliance will be designed just for you by Dr. Nossa using an impression of your teeth. It’s shown to help with snoring as well as sleep apnea symptoms while promoting nasal breathing at the same time.
Combined Therapy
In some cases, an oral appliance may not be enough. Instead, your dentist in Gainesville may recommend a CPAP machine to be used along with the device. A steady stream of air pressure is delivered through a mask that’s worn over the mouth or nose. The gentle air pressure keeps the airways from collapsing to reduce pauses in breathing.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you’re not getting the rest you need at night, you can breathe easier with an oral appliance. To learn more about how we can use dentistry to improve your sleep and protect your health, contact us today.
Sleep Apnea FAQs
Why Should I See a Dentist for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
While it might seem odd that you should see a doctor who specializes in teeth to have your sleep apnea treated, the fact is that Dr. Nossa is a qualified expert in the upper respiratory system. Obstructive sleep apnea is usually caused by tissues in the mouth and neck inhibiting healthy breathing during sleep, and adjusting the lower jaw can help keep the airway open when these tissues relax. While it’s already important to come to our office at least twice a year for routine exams and cleanings, these appointments also give you opportunities to bring up any sleep apnea-related issues you may be having so they can be addressed.
Can My Dentist Diagnose Sleep Apnea?
While sleep apnea can only be diagnosed by a sleep doctor, Dr. Nossa can perform a screening to determine if you should be tested for the condition and help coordinate your care afterward. While it’s crucial to have an official obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis before exploring your treatment options, we offer oral appliance therapy that gently shifts the jaw forward to naturally open the airway and help patients sleep normally through the night as well as combined therapy that involves a CPAP machine.
Will My Sleep Apnea Go Away if I Lose Weight?
Excessive body tissue can block the airway during sleep, and since being overweight is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea, losing weight may reduce or eliminate your symptoms. However, it is quite possible for a patient to lose a large amount of weight and still have sleep apnea. If you have recently slimmed down, you may need to have another sleep test to determine if you still have the condition.
How Soon After Starting Sleep Apnea Treatment Will I Notice Improvement?
While it can take a while to get used to sleeping with a CPAP machine, it usually only takes a night or two to become accustomed to wearing an oral appliance, and you should notice better sleep almost immediately. However, the only way to know for certain if your treatment is having the desired effects is to have another sleep test. Hopefully, we’ll find that your symptoms have diminished or subsided.
Will Oral Appliance Therapy Make CPAP Therapy Unnecessary?
CPAP machines work by forcing air through the airway using a hose-fed mask worn during sleep. While this can be effective at reducing sleep apnea symptoms, only about half of those who are prescribed CPAP therapy comply with their treatment due to the discomfort involved. In some mild or moderate cases, sleep apnea may be corrected using an oral appliance instead of CPAP therapy. However, an oral appliance may not be able to effectively treat severe sleep apnea. We’ll happily work with you and your sleep doctor to find the best solution for your situation.