Apnea episodes can occur from 30 to 60
times per night. This oxygen deprivation causes people to feel
exhausted when they wake up, as though they haven’t really been
sleeping. They’ve spent most of the night fighting for air, so
it’s no wonder they feel tired, headachy, and irritable. The
lower oxygen levels also put a strain on the heart.
Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are medical problems, so we
make sure your individual situation is fully addressed by
starting with an objective medical assessment. After referral
from a physician, you’ll receive a thorough dental examination
by Dr. Salisbury, who will discuss all options, advantages,
limitations, and consequences.
After you are fit with the oral appliance that should work best
for you, we’ll take any needed time to adjust the appliance to a
comfortable and effective position. Then we recommend a
follow-up evaluation by the referring physician to objectively
document the effectiveness of the therapy. We like to see all
our sleep patients twice per year long term during active
treatment to ensure the integrity of the oral structures and
continued effectiveness of the treatment.
These appliances reduce the health risks associated with apnea
without surgery or medication. There is a 96% success rate for
people treated with these appliances.
Snoring and Sleep Disorders: what you need
to know
Often snoring is dismissed as an annoyance, but it can be a sign
of a very serious condition known as obstructive sleep apnea.
Snoring is caused by a blocked airway. The tongue falls backward
during sleep and can fully or partially block the airway. The
body then struggles to obtain air, and this causes the vibration
we call snoring. Much of the time the body will continue to get
just enough air so there will be very little harm. However, this
condition is one of the signs that sleep apnea could be right
around the corner.