Visit Us For Relief From Sleep Apnea in Bloomington
You could be suffering from sleep apnea in Bloomington if you’re constantly fatigued, if you wake up feeling exhausted, or if your bed partner complains that you snore. However, we can help you with this serious sleep condition so that you (and your bed partner) sleep more soundly. Sleep apnea treatment from Weddell Dental can:
Dr. Kenneth Weddell on Sleep Apnea
Read Transcript
We've been treating patients with sleep apnea for the last five, six years, and it's always a little bit surprising to people. “Well, you're the dentist, what do you know about that?” but there certainly are indications that we'll see that patients may have some sleep apnea issues going on.
We send home a sleep screening, a pulse oximeter. They take it home, they put it on their finger overnight. They bring it back and drop off the results. We download it and talk about it. Depending on what the results are, we may say, “Gee, you should probably be screened for sleep apnea with a physician. There is something going on, and by ignoring the problem, you could be ignoring a serious issue.”
People that do have sleep apnea are more likely to have heart attacks. They're more likely to have strokes. They're more likely to have dementia, which makes sense if you think about the fact that the brain isn't getting oxygen, so.
There are different ways to treat sleep apnea. Everyone knows about the CPAPs with the CPAP mask, and nobody likes the CPAP mask. A dental appliance is often a wonderful alternative to doing that.
We will make sleep apnea appliances. After we make the sleep apnea appliances, we do a home sleep test to make sure that the appliance is effective. We don't want to make it and give it to you and say, “Gee, I hope that worked,” so if a dentist is making a sleep apnea appliance, it's very important that the dentist verifies that it's working by doing sleep apnea tests. And we do that and we check it. Sleep apnea has to be diagnosed by the physician before a dentist treats it, but a dental sleep apnea appliance is a very important part of treating sleep apnea for patients.
- Allow you to wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
- Improve your focus and concentration.
- Decrease daytime fatigue and drowsiness.
- Help prevent serious health consequences.
- Decrease symptoms of depression.
Our dentist can diagnose and treat your sleep apnea symptoms with a custom oral appliance. Put an end to your bedtime battle – call Weddell Dental today at 952-679-1365.
Get Relief From Our Simple Treatment
When you visit our Bloomington, MN office for a consultation, your dentist will begin by discussing your symptoms. Then he will give you an exam. He’ll measure your airways with a pharyngometer and then map your nasal passage with a rhinometer. You shouldn’t expect to feel any pain during your exam.
If it appears you are suffering from this sleep disorder, we can make you a custom mouthguard. This oral device will create more space in the back of your mouth by gently pushing your jaw and tongue forward. Because your mouthguard is designed just for you, you’ll experience a more comfortable fit.
Protect Yourself From the Complications of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is when you take pauses in your breathing while sleeping. If that sounds serious, it’s because it is. These little breaks in your breathing make it difficult for your body and brain to get the necessary levels of oxygen. If you’re a man, you’re two to three times more likely than a woman to suffer from this sleep disorder.
There are two types of sleep apnea, obstructive and central. Central sleep apnea is related to the nervous system and is far more rare. We can treat you for the much more common form, obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused when your tongue and the relaxed tissues in the back of your throat block your airway while you sleep.
This sleep condition can increase your risk for:
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Stroke
If you’re concerned you might have sleep apnea in Bloomington, you should get diagnosed as quickly as possible for the sake of your overall health and well-being. Call 952-679-1365 to schedule an appointment at Weddell Dental, or feel free to use our online form. Both of our dentists have over 30 years of experience providing many types of dental care.