Relieving Sleep Apnea Treatment in Austin
Sleep Disordered Breathing (or rather Breathing Disordered Sleep) is a problem in which we are not breathing in the most efficient way for our bodies. This often occurs all day long, but it compounds at night since we are laying down with the soft tissue of the palate and the tongue falling backward. Additionally, the muscles of our body are paralyzed when we are in REM sleep. This results in more restriction of the airway space.
Snoring
The collapse of the soft tissues often results in a phenomena called snoring. In actuality, snoring is the vibration of the soft tissues of the throat when air is going past them. Patients that snore are at a significantly higher risk of heart attack or stroke and are likely to have obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is not the only disordered breathing that can occur during sleep. When the inspiratory flow of air is less than optimal, patients will suffer from fragmented sleep due to their bodies’ need for oxygen. Even though a patient may sleep for the intended amount of hours each night, the true regenerative power of sleep is not the same if the quality is poor.
Acid Wear and Erosion
The closing of the airway space by the soft tissues makes a smaller diameter air tube in which we breathe. This results in an increase in negative pressure and the ability of the acid contents of the stomach to come up to the larynx or into the mouth. The results of this can be hoarseness of the throat upon waking or gastroesophageal reflux disease where acid actually comes into the mouth. As a dentist, Dr. Bruno is able to see if you are having issues with reflux as your teeth show signs of the erosion from the stomach acid.
Overall Well-Being
Patients who do not get the proper amount of deep sleep are more likely to have chronic inflammatory diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and fibromyalgia to name a few. Without this deep sleep, the body cannot rest and regenerate like is intended. This leads to more and more insult to our cells, and they begin to break down. The lack of air not only disrupts our sleep but lowers the amount of oxygen being delivered to our heart and brain: two very vital organs!
Treatment Options
Treating the problem is a multidisciplinary effort, and we work with a specialized team including an ENT trained in airways, a myofunctional therapist and an airway focused orthodontist.
Treatments are contoured to the specifics of each patient but they focus on making sure you are able to breathe well through your nose, have freedom of movement of your tongue and have a mouth that allows the well-trained tongue to rest on the palate with the tip behind the upper front teeth.