Sleep apnea is a condition in which the breathing stops periodically during sleep. Each time you stop breathing in your sleep, the resulting lack of oxygen alerts your brain, which temporarily wakes you up to restart proper breathing. Since the time spent awake is so brief, most people with sleep apnea don’t remember it, and many feel like they are getting a good night’s sleep, when in fact, they are not. The constant wake-sleep, wake-sleep cycle prevents those with sleep apnea from achieving deep sleep, resulting in a constant drowsy feeling during the day. Sleep deprivation can:

• Be a contributing factor in traffic crashes and costly errors at work

• Affect mood, concentration and judgment

• Cause long term health problems

Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea. Snoring is caused when the soft tissues of the throat, (soft palate, uvula, tongue and tonsils), relax during sleep and block the passage of air. As the air moves through the constricted area, the soft tissues vibrate producing the distinctive sound known as “snoring.” Sleep apnea is a problem for many dental patients, but Dr. Palagi can help. There are solutions in the form of dental devices that can be very effective. They move the lower jaw forward to prevent throat blockage and increase the airway size.

Normally, these devices are used by patients who are not able to use or are not comfortable with the CPAP equipment which is a gold standard for sleep apnea treatment. Dental devices might be helpful for patients with mild to moderate, rather than severe sleep apnea.