Sleep Apnea Treatment: Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) in Fond du Lac, WI

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Apnea is the sudden cessation of breathing. This condition most commonly occurs during sleep. There are three basic types of sleep-related apnea:

• Obstructive apneas are caused by blockages of the upper airway that temporarily prevent breathing and that usually wake up the affected individual. If you suffer from this form of apnea, you may awaken suddenly and repeatedly during the night. This can reduce your ability to enjoy peaceful and restful sleep.
• Central apnea is caused by a failure of the respiratory drive in the brain, which fails to signal your body to breathe when you are sleeping or unconscious. Because the right signals are not sent to the diaphragm, the automatic process of breathing during sleep can be interrupted for extended periods of time.
• Treatment-emergent central apnea occurs when a patient receives treatment for obstructive forms of apnea and then begins to exhibit signs of central apnea.

How Can You Tell if You Have Sleep Apnea?

It can be difficult to tell if you have sleep apnea because the signs of apnea mostly occur during sleep. Some of the most common sleep apnea symptoms are listed here:

• Frequent or constant tiredness and sleepiness during the day
• Loud and sudden snoring
• Headaches in the morning
• Difficulty in concentrating or irritability
• Observed incidents of stopped breathing during the night
• Frequent waking and occasional choking or gasping as you wake
• Sore throat or dry mouth upon waking

If you have some or all of these symptoms, scheduling an appointment with Mauthe & Associates DDS, SC can allow you to identify the underlying causes of this issue. We offer treatments for sleep apnea in Fond du Lac that can help you resolve this issue more quickly.

What Are Some Common Sleep Apnea Causes?

Central apneas are caused by a dysfunction in the brain that may be caused by illness or may be congenital in nature. For obstructive apneas, however, a few factors may play a role in contributing to this condition:

• Obesity
• Use of alcohol or sedative drugs
• Being of the male gender
• Narrowed airways
• Smoking
• Thicker neck circumferences
• Aging

What Treatment Options Are Available?

One of the best and most practical ways to treat this condition is by using an oral appliance for sleep apnea in Fond du Lac. Oral appliance therapy, also known as OAT, is tailored to your specific needs and can consist of a mouth guard, mouthpiece, or other oral appliance designed to resolve apnea issues quickly and effectively. Your dentists at Mauthe & Associates DDS, SC can recommend the most appropriate oral appliance for sleep apnea for your specific set of needs:

• A sleep apnea mouth guard or sleep apnea mouthpiece can provide added support for your airway, which can reduce the number of obstructive episodes of apnea you experience each night. These dental appliances are a practical first line of defense against apnea for you and your family members.
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are also used to address issues with apnea. If your condition is persistent or severe, a CPAP machine could be a practical option for you.
• Surgical options are also available that can help you to enjoy a better night's sleep and can reduce episodes of apnea for you and your family members. In general, however, you should consider oral appliance therapy before taking this measure to address apnea issues.

For most of our patients at Mauthe & Associates DDS, SC, oral appliance therapies are a non-invasive and practical way to reduce incidents of stopped breathing during sleep. Our dentists can provide you with these options and can recommend the best selection of oral appliance therapy options for your specific set of needs.

Is Oral Appliance Therapy Covered by Insurance?

Most insurance coverage offers some help in paying for your oral appliance therapy. At Mauthe & Associates DDS, SC, we will work with you to keep your out-of-pocket costs as low as possible and to help you to address your sleep apnea issues quickly and effectively. Give us a call today at (920) 215-0282 to schedule your consultation. We look forward to the chance to serve you.