Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a medical condition in which your breathing repeatedly stops and starts again while you sleep.
This is a common disorder that results in serious physical and behavioral side effects.
Dr. Daniel M. Whiteman in Brookline, MA, can treat many patients' sleep apnea with a simple, easy-to-use oral appliance.
Types of Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles at the back of your throat relax during sleep, causing your airway to narrow or close when you inhale. When this occurs, your blood oxygen levels decrease, so your brain wakes you up to reopen your airways.
Though they may not remember it, obstructive sleep apnea sufferers often wake up with a loud snort or gasp, sometimes hundreds of times throughout the night.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
Central sleep apnea occurs when your brain doesn't send signals to the muscles that control your breathing. This results in pauses in your breathing, much like OSA. People who have this less common form of sleep apnea may have a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep, and may awaken with shortness of breath.
This form of sleep apnea is neurological and requires treatment from a specialist.
If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Whiteman can provide relief.
Living with Sleep Apnea
If you have sleep apnea, you or your partner may notice different symptoms, both when you're awake and while you sleep:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Irritability
- Inability to concentrate
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- Headaches in the morning
- Loud, excessive snoring
- Instances in which you stop breathing when you're asleep
- Gasping for air in your sleep
- Difficulty staying asleep
Don't let your sleep apnea go undiagnosed just because the majority of symptoms occur during sleep. If a loved one reports the symptoms of sleep apnea, Dr. Whiteman can provide non-surgical treatment to help reduce symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.
Who's at Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
There are certain risk factors that can increase your chances of suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, including:
- Excess weight
- Advanced age
- Being male
- Nasal congestion
- Family history of sleep apnea
- Certain medical conditions
- Use of alcohol or sedatives
- Smoking
The Dangers of Sleep Apnea
The simple lack of sleep can negatively affect your mood and cause depression, memory loss, and other psychological effects.
Living with sleep apnea can lead to even more problems.
The disorder has been linked to serious illnesses including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and heart attacks, liver problems, and high blood pressure. Sleep apnea can also prevent anyone around you from sleeping soundly, leading to sleep-deprived partners and family members.
Untreated Sleep Apnea Can Have Serious Consequences
Sleep Apnea Diagnosis & Treatment
After scheduling a consultation at our Brookline, MA, office, Dr. Whiteman can ask you questions about your symptoms and assess your oral health. He will then refer you to a sleep doctor for a sleep study to provide an accurate diagnosis of your condition. Once you've received a diagnosis, you can discuss your treatment options at our office.
Lifestyle Changes
Some lifestyle changes like losing weight and quitting smoking can help with your sleep apnea. If these measures don't help, your doctor might recommend other treatments.
CPAP Machines
Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines are very effective to treat sleep apnea. However, many patients cannot tolerate the masks or simply don't use the machine because it is loud, bulky, and difficult to travel with.
A Quieter, More Comfortable Alternative
Advancements in sleep dentistry have made oral appliances the new preferred treatment for OSA.
Oral appliances are worn during sleep and function by holding your lower jaw in a forward position, opening your upper airways and allowing oxygen to flow to your lungs normally. These specialized mouthguards offer a more comfortable, quieter solution.
Why Patients Choose Us for Sleep Apnea Treatment
At Whiteman Dental Associates in Brookline, MA, we combine state-of-the-art technology in a warm, comfortable setting to provide you with effective, customized oral appliances for your sleep disorder. We can use digital impressions and 3D printers to create a mouthguard in-house or send your impressions to a third-party manufacturer.
Stellar 5-Star Reviews
Siddharth Thakur
2020
Great team! Did a fantastic job, while keeping the experience extremely pleasant and stress-free. Carolyn was awesome! Dr. Whiteman was patient and thorough. The whole process, from booking to appointment, was smooth and hassle free.
View on GoogleCherille Berman
2020
Dr Whiteman is an excellent dentist. I trust him as he is conservative in his approach and really takes the time to educate his patients about their choices. Their hygienist is very experienced and did a good job The office is efficiently run so there is no wait time and the staff are friendly and helpful
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