Hello and welcome to another September edition of the Butte Family Dental blog!

As your comprehensive source for dentistry services in the Butte, Montana area, we cover a lot of ground with our patients. And we treat some things that you might not ordinarily associate with the dentist. That includes snoring and sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a serious issue that can adversely affect interpersonal relationships, on-the-job performance, and scholastic achievement if it is not addressed and treated with an appropriate solution.

But is it an oral health issue? Absolutely!

Keep reading, and then be sure to schedule your consultation with Dr. Brennick and the rest of our team. We’ll do our best to get you better rest!

Sleep Apnea Is A Growing Problem

You are probably aware that sleep apnea disrupts the lives of millions of American families every night. You may not know that this condition is often set off by dysfunctions in the muscles of the upper respiratory tract.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the kind that is caused by an obstruction (usually it is your tongue) in the airway that basically starves your brain of much needed Oxygen.

When everything is working as it should, the muscles that exist in your airway will keep it open throughout the night. When the process fails to work properly, your tongue will slip out of place and cause problems by making it harder to breathe.

Snoring And Gasping

The metaphorical alarm will be sounded by your body. It may resemble the noise a buzz saw puts off, or that of a creature that is running out of breath. Snoring and gasping for breath during the night are two major warning signs of sleep apnea. It goes without saying that these things can cause trouble for you and for loved ones who are trying to get some rest. You won’t win any friends at home, we can tell you that.

What’s more, you will experience changes in personality and increased anxiety and depression with this condition. Sounds fun, right? But wait, it gets worse.

Sleep apnea sufferers are also at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure and packing on additional pounds. And they often report problems with memory and concentration.

Sleep apnea sufferers are also in danger of having their sleep-deprived bodies cause accidents while they are operating a motor vehicle, on the jobsite, in school, or engaged in a sporting activity.

This can destroy your life if you let it. But you don’t have to!

We Can Help!

You will need to get a formal diagnosis before anything can change. If you have had a sleep study and were diagnosed with sleep apnea, your primary physician will likely make some suggestions in regards to lifestyle changes and treatment. Our team will then work closely with you and your sleep doctor to find the best treatment for your situation.

Dental Devices

When your sleep apnea is in the mild to moderate range, we can usually create a dental device to help with this issue. There are two primary types of dental devices that we utilize for treating applicable cases of sleep apnea:

The first option is a Mandibular Advancement Device, which is a custom-made mouthguard that gently pushes your lower jaw forward to help keep your airway open.

Another great option is a Tongue Retaining Device, which is essentially a splint constructed to hold the tongue in place alleviating any airway obstructions.

One way or another, we will do whatever it takes to get you back on the good road. But it will be up to you to take the next step!

Learn More, Get Started!

We hope that you have been inspired to take action and reclaim your life. If you think that sleep apnea may be a problem for you or a loved one, contact us now to schedule a consultation in our Butte, MT office. You can rest assured that we’ll get to the bottom of it!