Sleep Apnea Treatment Castle Rock
A Simple Solution for Better Sleep
Getting enough sleep is one of the foundational pillars of overall health, but over 20 million Americans miss out on their necessary rest because of sleep apnea. Dr. Glenn Thompson is an experienced sleep apnea dentist who helps our Castle Rock dental patients rest easy and wake up feeling refreshed in the morning without having to rely on a CPAP machine. If you are ready to enjoy what true deep sleep feels like, contact us today for sleep apnea treatment in Castle Rock.
Why Choose Smile Castle Rock for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
- Highly Trained Sleep Apnea Dentist
- Custom Designed Sleep Apnea Appliances
- Easy & Comfortable CPAP Alternative
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition where a person experiences brief pauses in breathing throughout the night. There are a few different types of sleep apnea, but the most common form of the condition is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA. If you have OSA, the tissues in your mouth and throat over-relax and block your airway during sleep. This forces your body to repeatedly wake up and miss the deeper, more restorative stages of the sleep cycle, causing you to wake up feeling exhausted. These episodes can occur dozens or even hundreds of times in a single night.
You might be a victim of OSA if you often experience the following symptoms:
- Loud, frequent snoring
- Frequently waking up exhausted
- Waking up with a headache or sore throat
- Mood swings and irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Slow reaction times
The Dangers of Sleep Apnea
On the surface, it might seem like sleep apnea is little more than an annoyance. However, it can pose a real threat to your overall health and quality of life! Here are some potential consequences of untreated OSA:
- Poor cardiovascular health. The stress and oxygen deprivation caused by sleep apnea are associated with a heightened risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.
- Metabolic problems. You may be at a greater risk of developing diabetes due to how poor sleep can affect your hormones.
- Lack of quality sleep may make you unable to respond quickly in a dangerous situation, meaning you may be more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents.
Sleep Apnea Testing
It can be almost impossible to determine if you have sleep apnea on your own because the most telling symptoms occur while you are unaware of what is happening! The only way to get a definitive diagnosis and begin treatment is to complete a sleep test. We can help you do this in the comfort of home by giving you a small device to wear to bed that will monitor your breathing, heart rate, and other biological markers during the night. This data will then be sent to a certified sleep physician to analyze and determine whether or not you have the condition.
Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
While the most prescribed and popular form of sleep apnea treatment is CPAP therapy, many patients find this approach to be uncomfortable. Trying to sleep while having air literally forced down your throat is not exactly the most restful experience! For patients who want another option, or those who have mild to moderate sleep apnea, Dr. Thompson can offer a gentler approach — oral appliance therapy.
With this, all you have to do is wear a custom-made device (it looks like a mouthguard) to bed that slightly repositions your lower jaw. This prevents your airway from closing, enabling you to breathe normally and sleep uninterrupted throughout the night.
Dr. Thompson has used multiple appliances so he can find one that perfectly suits the needs of each patient. Over the years, he has provided SomnoDent, ProSomnus, and Panthera devices that offer the ideal balance of comfort and effectiveness. They are simple to use, make no noise, and travel easily, eliminating all of the reasons most people avoid using their CPAP.