Improve the Quality of Your Life with Help From Our Sleep Dentist in Lee’s Summit, MO

Next to breathing, sleeping is one of the most important functions your body does regularly. Sleep is responsible for recharging your brain, building up your immune system, and giving you energy for the next day. When you don’t get a good night of sleep, your body and mental health can suffer.

When you experience a lack of sleep, night after night, it will slowly impact your hormones and your cardiovascular system – sometimes with deadly results.

Different Types of Sleep Disorders We Treat

Several sleep disorders can affect the quality of your sleep and Dr. Pribyl can treat all types of snoring and sleep apnea cases. Most cases are caused by either a narrow airway or one that becomes obstructed while you sleep. To treat our patients, we choose the best oral appliances for their individual needs.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes you to stop breathing while you sleep. It’s normal for breathing to slow during sleep, but with sleep apnea, you stop breathing altogether. The lack of oxygen sends a signal to your brain that wakes you up just another to choke or cough to start breathing again – known as an apnea episode. This cycle can repeat hundreds of times throughout the night.

There are two different types of sleep apnea:

Obstructive – This is the most common type and is caused by a collapsed airway that cuts off breathing and forces you to choke or cough and awaken slightly to start breathing again.

Central – This form of sleep apnea is less common and occurs when the brain doesn’t send the correct signals to your muscles to control breathing.

There are three different forms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that depend on severity.

Mild: 5 to 15 apneas per hour

Moderate: 15 to 30 apneas per hour

Severe: 30 or more apneas per hour

The severity will determine which treatment is best for you.

The Dangers

Sleep apnea can turn deadly without treatment. Since sleep plays such a vital role in your body’s overall health and function, disrupted sleep can have a major impact. You may experience problems such as:

  • Mood disorders
  • Stroke
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Falling asleep while operating machinery or driving
  • High blood pressure
  • Weight gain
  • Diabetes
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Memory problems
  • Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
  • Cancer

Each of the conditions listed above has a link, but with proper treatment, patients can reduce their risk of these conditions and improve their sleep apnea symptoms. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, take our Epworth Sleepiness Scale quiz to find out if you should take a sleep test.

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

The only way to properly diagnose is with a sleep test administered by a physician or sleep doctor. You can take a sleep test in the comfort of your own home. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, our dental office will refer you to a sleep doctor who will send you a sleep test directly to your home. All you have to do is sleep while wearing a few monitors for two nights and then send the test back. A sleep doctor will review your test results and give you a formal diagnosis and review their findings with you. We will then work with your doctor to find the best sleep apnea treatment for your specific case.

Sleep Better with Sleep Apnea Treatment in Lee’s Summit, MO

Do you suffer from poor quality of sleep? If you believe a sleep disorder is a cause, please contact our About the Doctors. If you have yet to receive a diagnosis, we will refer you to complete a sleep test from the comfort of your home. Please call (816) 795-1000 to schedule an appointment to start sleeping better today.