If you snore or gasp during sleep and experience increased sleepiness, morning headaches, and impaired attention, you may be one of the estimated 39 million U.S. adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA causes the upper airway to be blocked multiple times during sleep, thereby reducing or completely stopping airflow. In contrast, central sleep apnea happens when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to breathe while sleeping and is associated with heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, Parkinson’s disease, and severe arthritis. At Magnolia Ridge Dentistry, we offer holistic sleep apnea treatment beyond merely alleviating symptoms.
Dr. Kathleen Schuster has extensive knowledge and skills in diagnosing the multifactorial root causes of mouth breathing, disordered sleep, and sleep apnea in children and adults. She is incredibly passionate about helping patients breathe and sleep healthier because her grandfather and father struggled with sleep apnea. Customized sleep apnea treatment in Melissa, TX, identifies and corrects the root cause(s) to reduce symptoms and prevent the wide range of damaging physical, cognitive, and behavioral side effects associated with this condition. In children, a multidisciplinary approach between a pediatric dentist like Dr. Schuster and several other specialists is the typical standard of care.
Orofacial risk factors associated with OSA include oral or craniofacial abnormalities (e.g., large tongue or tonsils, narrow palate, obesity, and a large neck circumference. A shorter mandibular length (specific measurement in the lower jaw to chin) is considered the most common skeletal abnormality predisposing people to OSA.
Multiple studies have shown that a shortened lingual frenulum (tongue-tie) at birth that isn’t treated alters craniofacial growth, causes respiratory issues, and leads to sleep apnea. In addition to frenectomies in infants to adults to release restrictive tongue ties, Dr. Schuster offers innovative therapies such as myofunctional therapy and orthodontics for airway expansion that truly set Magnolia Ridge Dentistry apart from the majority of dentists who treat sleep apnea!
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is an evidence-based treatment in adults with moderate to severe OSA. CPAP keeps your upper airway passages open with mild air pressure that you breathe in while you sleep. CPAP consists of a mask or other device you wear on your nose or nose and mouth, straps to position the mask, a tube that connects the mask to the machine motor, and the motor that blows air into the tube.
While CPAP treatment is a proven method to improve sleep quality, reduce or eliminate snoring, lessen daytime sleepiness, and reduce the risk of severe health issues, it can take time and patience to get accustomed to using it.
An oral appliance for sleep apnea in Melissa, TX, fits over your teeth like an orthodontic retainer while you sleep. A mandibular advancement device (MAD) is a plastic mouth guard that covers your upper and lower teeth. Dr. Schuster will customize an oral appliance personalized to your anatomy that supports your jaw in a forward position to keep your airway open.
This is an effective method for improving sleep, restoring alertness, and revitalizing health for many patients. Dr. Schuster is also skilled in orthodontics for airway expansion, a highly specialized type of functional dentistry that incorporates the use of palatal expanders to correct airway problems, restore nasal breathing, and reduce or eliminate sleep apnea episodes.
At Magnolia Ridge Dentistry, we work with an associate who is an expert in myofunctional therapy. Home exercises focus on retraining proper tongue positioning, strengthening oral muscles, restoring proper swallowing patterns, and keeping airways open during sleep.
By promoting nasal breathing over mouth breathing, myofunctional therapy can improve oxygenation, reduce snoring, and alleviate symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing conditions such as OSA in both children and adults.
During your consultation with Dr. Shuster, she considers lifestyle factors and oral structure issues when treating sleep apnea in Melissa, TX. Since obesity is a risk factor in OSA, weight loss can decompress the upper airway, especially if weight gain coincides with worsening sleep apnea symptoms.
Other lifestyle modifications designed to improve ‘sleep hygiene’ include making your bedroom conducive to restful sleep and avoiding caffeinated drinks, other stimulants, and excessive alcohol in the evening. In addition, increasing physical activity during the day, mentally winding down every evening, and avoiding daytime naps can help reduce symptoms.
Although most people don’t associate sleep apnea with children, the truth is the severe health consequences can be devastating, regardless of age. Left untreated, OSA can lead to social and behavioral issues, including drowsy driving/accidents, decreased work performance, and a poor quality of life. Untreated cases of OSA can put patients of all ages at an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, including systemic hypertension, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, sudden nocturnal death, stroke, or pulmonary hypertension.
Among children in particular, OSA is tied to severe developmental problems, including failure to thrive, bedwetting, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), behavioral issues, decreased academic performance, and cardiopulmonary disease. On a positive note, customized sleep apnea treatment in Melissa, TX, by our holistic dentist identifies the root causes and the many related conditions that are too often overlooked as contributing or related risk factors. When you entrust your oral health to Dr. Schuster, you’ll experience reduced snoring, improved sleep quality, and life-changing lifesaving benefits!
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