Sleep Apnea Treatment
League City, TX
Do you feel tired all the time? Do you not remember the last time you awoke feeling refreshed after a night’s sleep? Sleep apnea may be to blame!
Fortunately, award-winning dentist Dr. J. Derek Tieken and our caring team can provide sleep apnea treatment at our League City, TX dentist office.
If you think you might need sleep apnea treatment, call Tieken Smiles Dentistry at (281) 942-0444.
Fortunately, award-winning dentist Dr. J. Derek Tieken and our caring team can provide sleep apnea treatment at our League City, TX dentist office.
If you think you might need sleep apnea treatment, call Tieken Smiles Dentistry at (281) 942-0444.
Sleep Apnea Explained
Sleep apnea sufferers stop breathing frequently during their sleep, as many as hundreds of times during the night. This deprives your brain, and the rest of your body, of oxygen. Though many cases go undiagnosed, experts believe as many as 18 million Americans have sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea has two causes:
• | In the most common form of sleep apnea, your airway is blocked when tissue in the back of your throat collapses as you sleep. |
• | In another form of sleep apnea, your brain doesn’t signal your body to breathe while you are sleeping. |
Untreated sleep apnea can affect your performance at work or at school. You may nod off while driving. In addition, studies link sleep apnea to numerous health problems, including:
• | High blood pressure |
• | Heart problems, such as irregular heartbeats and even heart attacks |
• | Headaches |
• | Stroke |
• | Diabetes |
• | Depression |
How We Can Treat Your Sleep Apnea
The first step in treating sleep apnea is diagnosing it. One option is having a sleep test conducted at a sleep center. However, this kind of test can be costly and requires you to be away from the comfort of home.
Dr. Tieken can provide you with equipment you can use at home to help determine if you have sleep apnea. It measures how often you stop breathing throughout the night. He will work closely with a sleep specialist, if necessary.
If you have sleep apnea, Dr. Tieken can create a custom night guard for you that gently shifts your jaw into place to keep your airway open while you sleep. Many people prefer night guards to a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, another commonly prescribed method for treating sleep apnea. CPAP machines obstruct part of your face and can be noisy.
Technology and Night Guard Treatment
Our League City, TX dentist Dr. Tieken uses some of the latest dental technology to create your custom night guard, including:
• | Digital x-rays, which provide clear images of your mouth without waiting for film to develop. In addition, we can easily share images with third parties such as other health care providers or insurance companies. |
• | Intraoral scanner, which we use to take impressions of your teeth without messy molding materials. |
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
So how do you know if you have sleep apnea? Symptoms include:
• | Waking with a dry or sore throat |
• | Loud, persistent snoring |
• | Frequent awakening or insomnia |
• | Waking with a headache |
• | Forgetfulness |
• | Mood changes |
• | Sleepiness during the day |
Call Tieken Smiles Dentistry at (281) 942-0444 if you are experiencing sleep apnea symptoms, or use our appointment request form to book a consultation at our League City, TX dentist office.