Sleep Apnoea
We understand the impact that sleep apnea can have on your quality of life. Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder characterised by pauses in breathing during sleep, often accompanied by loud snoring and restless sleep. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. That's why we're dedicated to providing effective treatment options to help you breathe easier and enjoy a better night's sleep.
Definition:
- Apnea Hypopnea Index>5 in a PSG study with daytime symptoms. Apnoea = period of complete cessation of oronasal airflow for minimum of 10s; period of more than 50% reduction of oronasal airflow with a decrease of more than 3% of ongoing saturated O2 = hypopnea.
- recurrent sleep-induced collapse of the pharyngeal airway leading to hypoxaemia, hypercapnia, with arousal from sleep required to re-establish airway patency
- Obstructive: continued/raised diaphragm EMG activity and/or thoracoabdominal wall movement; thoracoabdominal paradox may be present
- Central: absent diaphragm EMG and thoracoabdominal movement
- Mixed: components of both
Understanding Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the throat relax excessively during sleep, causing the airway to become partially or completely blocked. This results in interruptions to breathing, leading to drops in oxygen levels and disruptions to sleep patterns. Common symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Loud snoring
- Pauses in breathing during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
If you suspect that you or a loved one may have sleep apnea, it’s important to seek diagnosis and treatment promptly to prevent potential complications. Looking for a sleep apnea test in Sydney? Visit Designer Smiles for accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plans.
Comprehensive Treatment Options
At Designer Smiles, we offer a range of effective treatment options for sleep apnea tailored to your individual needs. Our experienced team will work closely with you to determine the most appropriate course of action based on your symptoms, medical history, and personal preferences.
Custom Oral Appliances: Oral appliances are a popular treatment option for mild to moderate sleep apnea. These custom-made devices are worn during sleep to help keep the airway open by repositioning the jaw or tongue.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy: CPAP therapy is a highly effective treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea. It involves wearing a mask connected to a machine that delivers a continuous stream of air to keep the airway open during sleep.
Lifestyle Modifications: In addition to medical treatments, making lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol and sedatives before bedtime can also help improve symptoms of sleep apnea.
Designer Smiles is recognised as the best sleep clinic in Sydney, offering comprehensive services for sleep disorders.
Mild to moderate OSA = AHI 5-30.
Prevalence: 2% adult females and 4% of adult males – estimated 80% of all mod to severe OSAS missed.
Features: characterized by repetitive obstruction of the upperairway during sleep, resulting in episodic hypoxemia and arousal,associated with symptoms, usually daytime sleepiness. It can cause impairment of cognitive function, changes in mood and personality, increase risk for CVSD.
- Most patients have a anatomical predisposition for airwaycollapse
- Factors promoting upper airway obstruction:
- anatomical narrowing of upper airway
- excessive loss of upper airway muscle tone
- defective upper airway protective reflexes
- Site of airway collapse:
- generally behind uvula and soft palate (retropalatal I nasopharynx)
- also behind the tongue (retroglossal / oropharynx)
- collapse at level of epiglottis is unusual
- Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)
- validated self-administered questionnairerate likelihood of falling
asleep in different situations maximum score 24normaI < 10
significant sleepiness 16 - Mean values for normal 6
- Mean value for OSAS II
- Mean value for narcolepsy 18
- Mean value for insomnia 2
- validated self-administered questionnairerate likelihood of falling
- Neck circumference good predictor:
- very negative predictor
- high positive predictor
- sensitivity of 61%
- Craniofacial/upper airway features:
- retrognathia and overbite macroglossia (acromegaly,
hypothyroidism, Down’s) oedema/erythema uvula common
in heavy snoring tonsillar/adenoidal hypertrophy
- retrognathia and overbite macroglossia (acromegaly,
Why Choose Designer Smiles?
At Designer Smiles, we are committed to providing compassionate care and personalised treatment plans to help you achieve better sleep and overall health. Our experienced team of dental professionals will guide you through every step of the treatment process, ensuring your comfort and satisfaction.
Don’t let sleep apnea interfere with your quality of life any longer.
Our team includes experienced sleep specialists in Sydney, dedicated to providing personalised care and effective solutions for sleep-related issues. Contact Designer Smiles today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards a restful night’s sleep.
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