Humans are designed to need at least eight hours of sleep plus naps and rest periods when needed. Without enough sleep, people can have low ...
Humans are designed to need at least eight hours of sleep plus naps and rest periods when needed. Without enough sleep, people can have low energy levels and develop negative moods, and they usually become more susceptible to illnesses. Fortunately, sleep quality can be improved by adopting positive bedtime habits, such as avoiding caffeinated beverages and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule.
However, even with these bedtime habits, you still won't be fully rested if you have conditions that make sleeping difficult. One of these disorders is obstructive sleep apnoea (which is also known as OSA).
What Happens to Patients with OSA
Sleep apnoea is a condition where individuals experience interruptions in their breathing while they sleep. In some patients, apnoea occurs when their brain doesn't send the right signals to their breathing muscles, while others stop breathing during sleep when their airway becomes restricted. The latter is experienced by more people and is called obstructive sleep apnoea.
This condition causes the muscles in the back of the throat to relax when they're supposed to remain constricted while the patient is sleeping. When these throat muscles relax, they cause the upper respiratory airways to become narrow or even fully closed, preventing the patient from properly breathing and getting enough oxygen. As a result, their brain constantly tries to wake them up so they can reopen their airway and get enough oxygen into their body.
These periods of awakening are usually so short and brief that patients with OSA don't remember them. However, since they constantly get “woken up”, they usually don't reach the deep sleep stages, which means they never really become fully rested. So, they wake up tired and listless even when they sleep for hours and become irritable and find it difficult to focus.
How Dentists Can Help with Managing OSA
If you suspect that you have obstructive sleep apnoea, contact your physician right away. They can perform preliminary evaluations to determine if you do have OSA and refer you to the right sleep disorder experts who have the certifications and equipment to diagnose your condition and deliver the appropriate treatments.
Generally, using a CPAP machine is recommended for patients with OSA. This machine keeps their upper airway passage open by delivering the right amount of air pressure. However, for those who have relatively milder OSA and/or have difficulties with using CPAP machines, they can be referred to dentists who can fit them with an oral appliance. This is designed to prevent the airway from getting restricted and ensure that you get enough airflow during sleep.
Many patients with OSA are advised to get a mandibular advancement device (MAD), which moves the lower jaw forward and creates enough space in your airway for good oxygen intake. MADs usually come in two parts that fit over the top teeth and the lower teeth and are connected to each other using hinges, screws, and rubber bands, although some devices come with arches that are interchangeable and independent of each other. Either way, your mandibular advancement device will be customised based on how far your jaw should be moved forward, how much your upper and lower teeth touch when your mouth is closed, and other factors.
MADs require patients to have strong and healthy teeth that will hold the device in place. If their teeth aren't in good condition, they might be advised to use a tongue-stabilising device (TSD), which uses a suction bulb to move the tongue forward during sleep and keep it in place for proper airflow.
