Snoring & Sleep Apnea Treatment – Jacksonville, FL

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

In the clinical sense, sleep apnea apnea is defined as a "cessation of breath during sleep".  Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the soft tissues of the mouth and throat relax and close off the airway during sleep, causing an interruption in breathing.  When we are awake, our brain simply forces air past these tissues. By contrast, during sleep many people have periods of time when they do not breathe.  Each of these can occur individually but are often found together.

Signs & Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Since sleep apnea occurs while you’re sleeping, it can be difficult to know if you have it. In fact, many people don’t even know they have sleep apnea. You may find yourself waking up from sleep gasping for air or waking up from snoring so loudly. Oftentimes patients report headaches and jaw soreness in the morning, accompanied by lasting fatigue and a bad mood throughout the day. Your bed partner will likely be able to tell you if you snore, stop breathing, or grind your teeth in your sleep, and your dentist can often find signs of enamel wear from teeth grinding. However, the most reliable way to find out if you have sleep apnea is to see a sleep physician for a sleep study and diagnosis.

The Dangers of Sleep Apnea 

suffer from sleep apnea, it could be easy to brush this condition off and simply deal with it. However, in truth obstructive sleep apnea can be extremely dangerous and harmful. When sleep apnea occurs and the brain notices that insufficient oxygen is being delivered, it tells the cardiovascular system to work harder than normal. Because of this, the American Sleep Apnea Association has found  that people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea are at a higher risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Not to mention that daytime drowsiness can easily lead to life-threatening accidents, especially when driving a car.

Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

At North Jacksonville Complete Dentistry, we partner with local sleep doctors to help our patients who are concerned they may have sleep apnea. Once a sleep test has confirmed the presence and severity of sleep apnea, we are happy to help.

The gold standard for sleep apnea treatment is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This device forces air through the airway during sleep to help the body overcome the obstruction. While it’s the most effective treatment on the market, it’s compliance rate among patients is quite low. Many people end up reducing or eliminating using their CPAP machine because they find it uncomfortable and inconvenient.

That’s where our team steps in. If your sleep doctor and Dr. Bradbury agree, we can create a custom oral appliance to help treat mild to moderate cases of obstructive sleep apnea. This simple, small, mouthguard-like piece is very effective in many cases. It holds the jaw in a slightly forward position while you sleep, which in turn gently stretches the soft tissues in the back of the throat and prevents them from collapsing. Many patients are thrilled at the comfort and convenience of this CPAP alternative treatment for sleep apnea!

Sleep Apnea FAQs