(314) 892-8853 • St. Louis, MO

Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment

Always Tired? Sleep Loss Can Kill You

Your overall health depends on sufficient rest and sleep. You need air, water, food – and sleep. Your brain and body require time to re-boot every single day.

The effects of stress accumulate in your body, especially your heart, throughout the day. When you finally rest at night, your heart slows to decompress, relieving the stresses it has gathered. Your body needs time to recoup and restore your energy to tackle a new day. Sleep revitalizes your body and brain. Blood pressure decreases, and the pace of age-related diseases slows down. Illnesses such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and memory loss can be curbed.

Lack of sleep can burden your heart with excessive stress and strain on the muscle. Strokes, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and – in severe circumstances – death have all been connected to sleep disorders.

Not a Simple Annoyance

Snoring is often a pre-cursor to or symptom of a more critical health concern known as sleep apnea. People who suffer from sleep apnea are dealing with an airway obstruction. Most of the time, they don't even realize it. The obstruction prevents them from getting the oxygen they need throughout the night. Sleep apnea is a major contributing factor to heart disease. Those suffering from sleep apnea experience elevated blood pressure, which is a key risk factor in acquiring heart disease and suffering a stroke.

The result of sleep loss can be serious concerns with health and even premature death. Sleep deprivation can negatively affect brain function, increasing stress hormones and leading to depression.

Even if you have only mild sleep apnea, being fitted with an oral appliance can result in the reduction or even cessation of snoring. This could be a great gift to your partner as well as yourself!

A CPAP Alternative

Most patients diagnosed with sleep apnea are provided with a CPAP device, which is considered the gold standard for treating moderate to severe sleep apnea. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Air Pressure. The patient is fitted with a mask connected to a machine that pumps a continuous stream of air into their mouth or nose while they sleep. Unfortunately, many people find this uncomfortable and choose to stop wearing the mask.

If you have sleep apnea and are frustrated with your CPAP or find it intolerable, we can provide an alternative treatment. Our doctors can custom fit you with an oral appliance such as the SomnoDent™, Respire Blue Series™, or TAP™ (Thornton Adjustable Positioner). These are small acrylic devices that fit over the upper and lower teeth the same way an orthodontic retainer or mouthguard does. They gently realign your tongue and jaw to keep your airway open, allowing improved air flow into your lungs during sleep. They are easy to place and remove, easy to clean, and convenient for travel. These devices are amazingly comfortable and have an excellent success rate for sleep apnea and snoring.

Snoring and sleep apnea don't have to fill your nights. Give us a call today at (314) 892-8853 for a no cost/no obligation consultation.