Do you or your partner snore loudly...and frequently?
Do you find it difficult to stay asleep throughout the night?
Do you wake up feeling tired after a full night's rest?
You may be one of millions of Americans suffering from sleep apnea, and you may not even realize it. Thankfully, Dr. Brandon Hedgecock at Hedgecock dental is certified in providing a non-surgical CPAP alternative for sleep apnea treatment with oral appliance therapy.
Sleep apnea is a common and dangerous sleep disorder that affects millions of American adults, while many cases remain undiagnosed. Because symptoms are largely present during sleep, it can often be a difficult disorder to diagnose.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissues in the back of the throat collapse during sleep, preventing the patient from breathing properly throughout the night. Left untreated, sleep apnea can not only disrupt your quality of sleep and your quality of life during the day, but can significantly increase your risk for serious systemic diseases, and can even be fatal.
Some common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include:
Some factors that increase your risk for developing sleep apnea include:
Sleep apnea raises the heart rate, increases blood pressure, reduces blood oxygen levels, and places excessive stress on the heart - not to mention it prevents patients from getting restful sleep night after night, which is the only time the body is truly able to repair itself.
Left untreated, sleep apnea can increase your risk for:
If you have any questions or would like to learn more, contact your Austin dentist today by calling(512) 892-2273 or schedule a visit online!
Traditional sleep apnea treatments involve a CPAP machine, or in severe cases, invasive surgery. CPAP machines are loud, bulky, uncomfortable and invasive, and often prevent the user from being able to sleep comfortably, which is the whole point in the first place! For these reasons, many patients find CPAP machines intolerable and ineffective.
Thankfully, your Austin dentist at Hedgecock Dental offer an alternative solution with oral appliance therapy. Oral appliance therapy is a specially designed device that you wear like a mouth guard during sleep. The device gently shifts the lower jaw forward which prevents the airway from collapsing, allowing the patient to breathe comfortably throughout the night - without the need for a CPAP machine or invasive surgery.
If you're worried about the cost of treatment, or aren't sure if your dental insurance will cover it, we are happy to be able to accept medical insurance for sleep apnea treatment. If you don't have insurance, we also offer flexible financing options to help you get the treatment you deserve. We want to help you get your sleep apnea under control so you can live a better, healthier life!