Athens Oconee Dentistry

(706) 549-2440

2235 Resurgence Dr, Watkinsville, GA 30677.

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Athens Oconee Dentistry > Services > Sleep Apnea Treatment

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Sleep Apnea Treatment in Watkinsville, GA

man snoring As your sleep, the muscles in your mouth, throat, and jaw naturally relax. However, for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), their muscles loosen so much that they can cave in and block the airway.

Why Is Sleep Apnea a Serious Problem?

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder. The obstructed airway impairs normal breathing, and oxygen loss causes sleep apnea sufferers to wake up repeatedly throughout the night. This cycle can repeat hundreds of times during one night, making it impossible to achieve restful sleep.

Without sleep apnea treatment, the lack of restful sleep affects your daily life in many ways:

Insomnia
Morning headaches
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Mood swings and irritability
Inability to focus on tasks
Drowsy driving accidents

The health repercussions of oxygen deprivation due to sleep apnea include:

High blood pressure (hypertension)
Irregular heartbeats
Heart attacks
Stroke
Acid reflux (GERD)

What Are Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

Along with daytime sleepiness, the most common symptoms of sleep apnea are loud snoring or gasping for breath during sleep. If your partner or a family member complains of either, you should report it to your physician, who can refer you to a sleep physician for testing.

Sleep Apnea Treatment in Watkinsville, GA

The treatment that’s often prescribed for patients with severe sleep apnea is a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure). Compressed air is delivered through a plastic tube connected to a face mask, nasal pillow, or nose mask.

The steady stream of pressure keeps the airway open to maintain normal breathing. While CPAP is the standard sleep apnea treatment, only about 40 percent of sufferers follow through with wearing the masks as prescribed.

CPAP masks are problematic for several reasons:

Bulky and uncomfortable
Noisy
Hard to sleep with the machine in place
Restricts movement
Not travel-friendly

Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) for Sleep Apnea

couple sleeping peacefully Advances make it possible to treat sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy (OAT) in Watkinsville. Custom OAT at Athens Oconee Dentistry helps the jaw move forward during sleep, keeping the airway open for freer breathing.

For minor cases of sleep apnea that do not require an invasive procedure or CPAP, achieving a healthy night’s sleep with a custom-fitted sleep apnea mouth appliance is possible.

This custom-fitted oral device resembles a mouthguard and helps keep the airway open, allowing normal breathing overnight. The conservative approach is always the goal for cases that are not severe.

Does Your Partner Complain of Loud Snoring?

At Athens Oconee Dentistry, we offer several options to suit the varying needs of sleep apnea patients in Watkinsville. We encourage you to contact us if you experience any sleep apnea symptoms, such as loud snoring. Our sleep apnea dentist will work closely with your sleep physician to develop a treatment plan to ensure your safety and help you get a full night of restful sleep.

We are pleased to serve patients in Watkinsville and all surrounding communities, including Athens, Monroe, Winder, Bethlehem, Greensboro, Jefferson, Statham, Oconee Co, Danielsville, Commerce, Hoschton, and Braselton.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the common symptoms of sleep apnea?

Does your partner snore or gasp during the night? Do they complain about being tired all the time? If so, they could be suffering from sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder.

What are the common symptoms of sleep apnea? Keep reading to learn more.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

When you sleep, the muscles in your mouth and throat relax. However, if they relax too much, they can block your airway and prevent you from breathing or sleeping properly. This disorder is known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The Symptoms of OSA

Obstructive sleep apnea has several symptoms, and it can contribute to a myriad of health issues, including high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, and acid reflux. If your life is affected by any of these, you should contact your Watkinsville dentist for more information:

Do You Need Sleep Apnea Treatment in Watkinsville, GA?

If you or a loved one suffers from sleep apnea in Watkinsville or the surrounding area, the dental team at Athens Oconee Dentistry can help! Don’t let sleep apnea rob you of the rest you deserve. Contact our dental office at (706) 549-2440 to schedule a consultation or appointment.

What treatment options are available for sleep apnea?

Your jaw, throat, and mouth muscles relax when you're asleep. If they relax too much, however, they can block your airway, causing you to wake up multiple times each night. This is known as sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is serious and can cause insomnia, headaches, daytime sleepiness, and irritability. So, what treatment options are available for sleep apnea? Please keep reading to learn more about it.

Discovering Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

The most common treatment for sleep apnea is a CPAP machine. This machine delivers compressed air through a mask to help keep your airway open. Although a CPAP machine is effective, many people complain about it being noisy and uncomfortable.

At Athens Oconee Dentistry, we offer an alternative to the CPAP machine. We use oral appliance therapy (OAT) to help you achieve a healthy night’s sleep. A customized oral device is much like a mouthguard and can comfortably move your jaw forward without a bulky mask or machine.

Looking for Sleep Apnea Treatment in Watkinsville, GA?

We would love to hear from you if you would like to speak with a dental team member about oral appliance therapy! At Athens Oconee Dentistry, we want to help you get the restful sleep you deserve.

Call us at (706) 549-2440 to schedule an appointment.

What is CPAP therapy, and how does it work?

Your general physician recommends continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) therapy as the standard for sleep apnea treatment.

It entails the patient wearing a mask while sleeping while air is continuously delivered at the correct pressure to keep airways open and clear for breathing. While CPAP therapy is effective for many patients, especially those with severe sleep apnea, it doesn't work for everyone.

Some patients find the mask uncomfortable to wear during sleep or the machine cumbersome when traveling. That's why Dr. Brent Nail and his team offer alternative solutions for sleep apnea treatment in Watkinsville, GA, with customized oral appliance therapy (OAT).

What Is Oral Appliance Therapy?

OAT involves creating a custom oral appliance we make with impressions of your teeth, which gently repositions your jaw while you sleep. The slight repositioning opens your airway and allows free breathing throughout the night.

Your oral appliance is designed for your comfort, fitting much like an orthodontic retainer. It's easy to get used to, ensuring you feel at ease while using it.

Reclaim Your Rest!

If you or a loved one could benefit from OAT, contact your team at Athens Oconee Dentistry at (706) 549-2440 for more information on how we can help.

Meet Our Doctor:

Dr. Brent Nail

Dr. Brent Nail, DMD, is a proud graduate of The Medical College of Georgia, where, in addition to studying to be a general dentist, he participated in advanced oral surgery studies. Admittedly a perfectionist, Dr. Nail takes great pride not only in the details of dentistry but also in creating the absolute best experience possible for patients.

Dr. Nail designed Athens Oconee Dentistry as a thoroughly modern paperless dental practice utilizing state-of-the-art digital x-rays and the latest technology. But he never forgets the human side of dentistry. Your comfort is our ...

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