Sleep apnea is a common disorder caused by not getting adequate oxygen when you’re asleep. Typically, if you suffer from Apnea your air passage is blocked during sleep, and a dip in oxygen levels causes you to wake up in alarm. If this occurs multiple times, you’re obviously not getting quality rest. More importantly, your heart is doing extra work between dips and surges in oxygen levels. Stop suffering! Dr. Kooning can help you breathe easier with a customized appliance.

Why do I Have Sleep Apnea?

Sleep Apnea happens when a person’s tongue slides into the recesses of their mouth during sleep, causing the air passage to be blocked. Snoring is often an indicator of Apnea because snoring simply indicates blockage, though some may suffer from sleep apnea without snoring. A customized sleep appliance helps pull your lower jaw and tongue forward, opening the airway and allowing oxygen to pass into the lungs.

Woman Sleeping
Sadly, Apnea causes a domino effect of other physical problems, including feelings of exhaustion, waking multiple times during the night, choking or gasping during sleep, inability to fall or stay asleep, sore throat, cardiovascular problems, daytime sleepiness, forgetfulness, memory loss, weight gain, depression, mood swings and sexual dysfunction. Sufficient oxygen transfer is critical to your healthy life. Long term problems caused by untreated sleep apnea can be deadly.

Overcoming Sleep Apnea Treatment Objections

Many of our patients would love to treat their Apnea but are resistant to undergoing the rigors of a sleep study. Our primary outcome is to remove barriers so that you can have the restful sleep you need. At Kooning Family Dentistry, we offer take-home testing alternatives that diagnose sleep-related breathing disorders. It’s important to us to eliminate an external sleep study testing requirement, putting you in control of your tests. This option allows you to get the results you need, in the comfort of your own home.

So how do we treat your apnea?

We have a pharyngometer to measure the efficiency of your airway while your jaw is in different positions. We then use a rhinometer to detect nasal blockages that might be restricting oxygen absorption. This equipment allows us to fabricate sleep appliances with a high of accuracy and efficacy.

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We use two primary sleep appliances.

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Herbst® Sleep Appliance

The Herbst® system pulls your lower jaw forward and is designed to assist patients with certain facial characteristics. Once relegated to orthodontic facial management therapy, the Herbst® has proven useful in sleep therapy as well. Positioning is key; we’re trained to make incremental adjustments as necessary to get you to optimal oxygen gain and a full night’s sleep at last.

Respire Blue Sleep Appliance

The Respire Blue Series places the patient’s jaw in a position that aids proper breathing while they sleep. The appliance prevents the lower jaw from falling back and closing the airway, allowing patients to inhale more air with each breath, leading to a better night’s sleep.

Schedule Your Sleep Apnea Visit Today!