Sleep Apnea can be a very serious condition. Sleep apnea is a disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. If you suffer from Sleep Apnea, you are at much higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and even certain types of cancer.
Fortunately, Dr. James Tasto is a proud member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. In his Mira Mesa San Diego Dental Office, he treats Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) with a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). This device pulls the lower jaw forward in order to maintain an unobstructed upper airway by increasing its dimensions and reducing collapsibility.
What Are the Effects of Sleep Apnea?
If left untreated, sleep apnea can result in a growing number of health problems, including:
– High blood pressure
– Heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and heart attacks
– Depression
– Stroke
– Diabetes
– Worsening of ADHD
In addition, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for poor performance in everyday activities, such as at work and school, motor vehicle crashes, and academic underachievement in children and adolescents. Patients who suffer from sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain — and the rest of the body — may not get enough oxygen.
Who is at risk?
Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even children. Risk factors for sleep apnea include:
– Being male
– Being overweight
– Being over age 40
– Having a large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women)
– Having large tonsils, a large tongue, or a small jaw bone
– Having a family history of sleep apnea
– Gastroesophageal reflux, or GERD
– Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems
Thousands of patients have benefitted from a simple yet effective therapy provided by our sleep apnea dentist in Mira Mesa, San Diego. The device fabricated for our patients is recognized by specialists as a discreet and comfortable oral appliance.
How it works:
The Mandibular Advancement device (MAD) holds the mandible (the lower jaw) in a forward position, bringing the base of the tongue forward and increasing the space behind the tongue.
This positioning has a double impact:
– It reduces the risk of obstruction (collapse of the airway) and decreases the frequency of apneas or hypopneas, which leads to sleep fragmentation.
– The speed at which the air is inhaled decreases, reducing the snoring caused by the vibration of soft tissues in the throat.