Relieve Sleep Apnea in Gillette, WY With a Customized Treatment Plan
The most common cause of sleep apnea is an airway that becomes blocked during sleep, causing frequent interruptions in breathing. Two of the most common forms of treatment are an oral appliance and a CPAP machine. At Synergy Dental Center, we offer both of these options, but we also offer alternative treatments that will relieve your sleep apnea symptoms – and improve your overall health – by training your body to breathe better.
Doctor David Porter on sleep apnea
Read Transcript
Sleep apnea is really an epidemic in our country, and it's showing up not only in just obese males, it's showing up in children now. And it's because of our faces are not growing and developing to their maximum potential. So one thing that we're always evaluating in children at a young age is, Are they a candidate to have sleep apnea as an adult? And there's things that can be done to treat kids at an early age to where they don't have to suffer those consequences as an adult. Even as an adult though, they do have many alternatives. There's surgical alternatives that most people are not aware of, there's orthodontic alternatives, there's CPAP alternatives, there's mouth appliance alternatives. There's many, many different alternatives that a lot of people are just not aware of. And so, it is very important to get treated for it. It is ... it's a really deadly disease that ends up taking the lives of many, many people, far too early in their life.
I've seen reports on people in their late 20s dying from sleep-related illnesses, so it's a very, very serious thing. I tell people all the time, there's two things that we do that are more important for our health than anything. One is breathing and the other is sleeping. And it is just simply that simple. So if we know that we have a sleep-related problem, or a child is a candidate to have a sleep-related problem, those problems need to be dealt with at an early age. They're dealt with at an early age, you don't have to worry about them as an adult. The solutions for adults are much more complicated than for children.
No matter which sleep apnea treatments you choose, you’ll:
- Rest better throughout the night.
- Wake feeling refreshed instead of tired.
- Snore less, so other members of your household can sleep soundly too.
- Stay more alert and focused throughout the day.
- Reduce your risk of health conditions associated with apnea, including high blood pressure and stroke.
To breathe more easily so you can sleep better at night, call 307-622-1311 to schedule a consultation with Dr. David Porter. He’ll help you determine which combination of treatments will work best for you!
Sleep Better With a Customized Sleep Apnea Treatment Plan
We don’t believe in “one-size-fits-all” treatment for sleep disorders like apnea. At our Gillette dentist office, we’ll typically recommend a sleep test you can take in the privacy of your own home. Dr. Porter works closely with a sleep doctor to read the results and develop a customized treatment plan for you. Depending on the severity of your apnea and other factors, your treatment may include:
- A Sleep Apnea Appliance – Dr. Porter will fit you for a custom-made appliance that gently shifts your jaw forward to keep your airway open during sleep.
- CPAP Machine – More severe cases of apnea may require the use of a CPAP, which keeps your airway clear with a stream of pressurized air.
- Orthodontics – If tooth or jaw misalignment is contributing to your sleep disorder, we can improve your airflow with the use of orthodontic appliances or other treatments.
- Myofunctional Therapy – The tongue is a muscle that can be strengthened like any other muscle. This therapy strengthens the tongue, which helps prevent it from blocking your airway while you sleep.
- Buteyko Breathing Method – Mouth breathing worsens sleep apnea symptoms. This technique trains you to breathe through your nose, which helps you sleep more soundly.
Improve Your Health by Training Your Body to Breathe Better
Breathing is perhaps the most basic bodily function. Yet many of us have bad habits, like breathing through the mouth, that negatively affect our health. Dr. Porter can use myofunctional therapy and/or the Buteyko breathing method to train your body to breathe properly. You’ll find it easier not just to sleep, but possibly also to eat and speak – and you’ll just plain feel better!
Proactively Prevent Sleep Problems in Children
For some children, we recommend orthotropics, a treatment that guides the growth of the facial bones to create more space for the teeth and tongue. It not only minimizes or even prevents orthodontics issues in children, it also promotes proper airway development. This lessens the risk your child will suffer from apnea or other sleep disorders.
Think you may have sleep apnea? Take this quiz to assess your risk for apnea and this self-assessment for acid reflux, a related disorder. Then call 307-622-1311 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Porter.