Fountain Valley Sleep Apnea

If you or your partner lose sleep because of snoring,

sleep apnea causes snoring

or you wake up tired even though you've had a full night's sleep, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. In fact, 90% of snorers have sleep apnea without even realizing it.

Unfortunately, without treatment, sleep apnea can lead to much more serious health risks. First, it aggravates health ailments you may currently struggle with in your general health such as diabetes. Recent studies have shown even with a healthy body untreated sleep apnea significantly increases your chance of heart disease or stroke.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Most patients don't even realize there even is a problem unless their partner points it out to them. But if you live alone, what can you look for?

  • Snoring
  • Waking tired after a full night's sleep
  • Difficulty concentrating during the day
  • Headaches
  • Waking up startled
  • Acid Reflux
  • Going to the restroom multiple times throughout the night
  • Waking up coughing
  • Slow Reflexes

Could you Have Sleep Apnea?

The Epworth sleepiness scale helps you to assess whether or not you suffer from sleep apnea, or if you are a good candidate for sleep apnea treatment. If you'd like to get a more clear picture before visiting Dr. Tran, click on this page for this evaluation tool.

Sleep Apnea Explained

What do we mean when we say sleep apnea? The diagrams below help describe what the causes and results are.

Mild Sleep Apnea

While we sleep, your tongue and the muscles in the back of your throat relax. Sometimes they lie in such a way as to impinge on your breathing and vibrate your soft tissues. The result? Snoring. This is known as mild sleep apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In more severe cases, the muscles will completely block your breathing passage. This is called obstructive sleep apnea. It can lead to serious health problems because of its oxygen deprivation.

With obstructive sleep apnea, your body will sense you're no longer breathing and startle you awake. After your body gets a breath you'll then drift back to sleep until your breathing passage is blocked again. When that happens, it will cause your brain to wake you up again. This cycle can repeat hundreds of times in a night without you even realizing it. No wonder sleep apnea patients are tired!

Solutions to Sleep Apnea

Dr. Tran offers a couple of options for sleep apnea treatment.

  • CPAP Machine

CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It delivers a flow of air to you through a mask which can seal either your nose or mouth, depending on your needs. The positive pressure keeps the airway from collapsing, giving you the oxygen you need for a healthy body and a healthy night's sleep. While it is uncomfortable and awkward to use, in severe cases, it may be the only solution short of surgery.

  • Oral Appliance
Modified Herbst

For CPAP intolerant cases or mild to moderate cases, an oral appliance is a good alternative. These appliances are custom fit to your bite for maximum ease and comfort in wearing. It's designed to gently move your jaw into the correct position so your breathing passage is no longer obstructed. Not only will it eliminate your snoring and wake episodes, but you'll get a full night's sleep with lots of oxygen. You'll find that you wake up refreshed finally.

If you snore or suspect you suffer from sleep apnea, you may call our office to schedule an appointment or click here to request an appointment Fountain Valley Sleep Apnea online.

We would love for you to choose us as your dental office.

Fountain Valley Dental Care
11100 Warner Ave. Suite 312
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
PLEASE CALL: 714-979-3710

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