Published: 10/20/2014
Sleep apnea is a common condition in which the throat relaxes inwards during sleep to such an extent that normal breathing becomes interrupted by a narrowing of the airways. Snoring is one obvious symptom of sleep apnea, as is frequent waking during the night as the patient’s sleep is repeatedly disturbed by reduced oxygen intake.
If you suffer with sleep apnea, I am able to evaluate the extent of your problem during a consultation, and when appropriate, I can recommend patients be fitted for an appliance which prevents the disruptive symptoms during sleep. The device I recommend is known as an EMA appliance and is uniquely fitted to your personal measurements to be worn overnight inside the mouth.
EMA stands for Elastic Mandibular Advancement. Translated, that means the device uses applied pressure from adjustable elastic bands to‘advance’, or gently bring forward the patient’s ‘mandible’, or lower jaw. This adjustment increases the resting airspace inside the patient’s throat, thus preventing the reduced oxygen intake that is associated with sleep apnea.
Prolonged sleep apnea can contribute to general ill health, besides just poor sleep patterns, so it’s important that you seek out proper treatment. If you are suffering, arrange for a consultation and take a step forward towards more peaceful nights and wide awake days.
We can offer financing options that will help you to spread the cost of any necessary treatment. We take pride in patient care so you can ensure that an EMA fitting will be accurate and that I will closely follow up on any questions or concerns you may have about your treatment program.
Contact our dentist in Tampa, FL today for your sleep apnea consultation!
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