Sleep Apnea Treatment – Westfield, MA
Helping You Sleep Soundly Again
Are you one of the 18 million Americans that suffer from sleep apnea? Many people don’t realize that they have this dangerous disorder at first, but if they don’t have it treated in time, they could end up experiencing heart attacks, strokes, and other potentially life-threatening health problems. If you’re looking for a solution for sleep apnea but don’t want to use a noisy, uncomfortable CPAP machine, you may want to consider giving EMA Dental of Westfield a call. We can put a stop to your sleep apnea episodes and help ensure that you get the rest you need to perform well at work and in life! Reach out to our Westfield dental office to set up your first sleep apnea treatment appointment.
Why Choose EMA Dental of Westfield for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
- Fully Customized Sleep Appliances
- Comfortable Alternatives to CPAP Machines
- Solutions for Severe Snoring
What Is Sleep Apnea?
The most common kind of sleep apnea – and the kind that our team can help you with – is obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA for short. If your airway becomes partially or completely blocked while you’re asleep, the result is an OSA episode. In many cases, the airway is blocked due to the tongue or tissue near the back of your throat collapsing. People who are obese or have naturally narrow airways tend to have a higher risk for sleep apnea.
A blocked airway prevents the rest of your body from getting the oxygen it needs. This causes your brain to force you to wake up so breathing can resume. You’ll likely only be awake for a few seconds and might not even remember it later, but it’s enough to disrupt your sleep cycle. Some people with OSA have their breathing interrupted dozens or hundreds of times during the night, making it impossible to enjoy quality sleep.
Some of the most common warning signs that you may have sleep apnea include:
- Chronic and/or particularly loud snoring
- Feeling exhausted during the day no matter when you went to bed
- Having trouble concentrating or remembering things
- Waking up with a sore throat or a dry mouth
- Suffering from chronic headaches, especially in the morning
- Having to visit the restroom multiple times during the night
How Do You Treat Sleep Apnea?
A physician or sleep specialist can help you determine whether you’re suffering from OSA. If you have a mild to moderate version of the disorder, you can contact our Westfield dental office to see if you might be a good candidate for oral appliance therapy.
The more well-known solution for sleep apnea is a CPAP machine, which forces air down your throat through a mask placed over your nose. Even though CPAP machines have proven to be effective, many patients can’t tolerate them due to the noise and discomfort that they cause. As an alternative, we can give you an oral appliance that moves your jaw slightly forward to stop the airway from collapsing. Oral appliances are customized to fit comfortably in your mouth, and they don’t make any noise; they’re also easier to pack when traveling.