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Treating Sleep Apnea without the CPAP

treating sleep apnea without cpapMiami and Coral Gables, FL

Do you live with obstructive sleep apnea? This is a serious sleep breathing disorder that disrupts your rest, leaves you feeling fatigued throughout the day and significantly increases your risk of developing other potentially deadly health problems such as cardiac disease or stroke. If you are not already getting treatment for your sleep apnea, you should. Or, maybe you are but are unhappy with your CPAP machine. Here is how your Miami dentist can help with your sleep apnea – no breathing machine required!

A frequently prescribed treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients is a machine called the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). This machine is worn while a sleep apnea sufferer sleeps, forcing air into the airway during sleep.

While a CPAP machine is a common solution for sleep apnea, it has several disadvantages. It is inconvenient, especially when traveling because the machine is bulky and must be plugged in. Many CPAP machines encounter maintenance problems, and CPAP patients regularly experience issues such as discomfort and skin irritation from wearing the mask, as well as dry mouth. A CPAP machine also can disrupt intimacy or inconvenience family members, as sleeping with a CPAP patient can be difficult because of the noise.

At Miami Designer Smiles, we believe oral appliance therapy is a preferred treatment method for treating OSA. This oral appliance maintains an open airway by adjusting the position of the tongue and keeping the jaw in a preferred alignment, thus preventing the collapse of soft tissue in the throat, which causes an obstructed airway. These custom-made oral appliances are also adjustable to fit your changing needs as a sleep apnea patient.

To craft your custom-made oral appliance, we take impressions of your mouth, and send them to our trusted dental laboratory. Then, you return to our office after the appliance has been made, and your Miami sleep apnea dentist will make sure that your appliance fits properly. Any necessary adjustments can be made at this time to ensure a comfortable fit.

You are to wear your mouthpiece at night while you sleep. Remove it in the morning and clean it with mild soap and warm water. Be sure to store your mouthpiece in the case that we provide you.

You can find a wide variety of anti-snoring or sleep aid mouthpieces available over the counter for purchase. However, the oral appliances prescribed by a sleep apnea dentist in Miami are custom designed for each patient, ensuring an ideal fit and maximum effectiveness. Plus, these sleep appliance can be adjusted to fit your changing needs.

Treating OSA is not a one-size-fits-all approach, so why would you trust an over-the-counter mouthpiece from the store? It is important to note that by receiving an oral appliance from your Miami dentist, that we understand how to work with the neuromuscular dimensions of your mouth and jaw. This means that our appliances will not cause you jaw discomfort or pain. Those appliances you buy in a box at the store cannot guarantee this type of fit.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, do not settle for a CPAP machine. Consider oral appliance therapy. Call Miami Designer Smiles at (305) 595-4616 to schedule a consultation today.

Miami Designer Smiles serves patients in Miami and Coral Gables, FL.