Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?

• OSA is when a person stops breathing repeatedly during sleep
• Breathing stops because the airway collapses and prevents air from getting into the lungs
• Sleep patterns are disrupted, resulting in excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day and can ultimately lead to serious problems
• Most OSA sufferers remain undiagnosed and untreated

What causes the airway to collapse during sleep?

• Extra tissue in the back of the airway such as the soft palate or large tonsils
• Decrease in the tone of the muscles holding the airway open
• The tongue falling back and closing the airway

What are the signs and symptoms of OSA?

• Snoring, interrupted by pauses in breathing
• Gasping or choking during sleep
• Restless sleep
• Memory loss
• Depression
• Excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day
• Sexual dysfunction
• Poor judgement or concentration
• Irritability
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Morning headaches

What are the treatments for OSA?

• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
• Oral appliances
• Surgical intervention
• Any treatment should include weight loss if needed, exercise, and avoidance of alcohol, sedatives, and hypnotics

How does CPAP work?

• CPAP treats OSA by providing a flow of positive-pressure air through a mask to splint the airway open during sleep

How do oral devices work?

• An oral (or dental) appliance is a small device that is very similar to an orthodontic retainer. It is worn in the mouth while sleeping to help prevent soft throat tissue from collapsing and obstructing the airway. Some of the devices hold the lower jaw forward during sleep, while other appliances directly affect tongue position

What happens if OSA is not treated?

• Increased risk for:
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Fatigue-related motor vehicle and work accidents
• Decreased quality of life

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-altering and life-threatening condition that is easily identified and effectively treated.

Tagawa & Curtis Orthodontics - www.breasmiles.com - 714.990.5414

Sleep Disorders

Statistics

• Over 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea
• 1 in 5 adults are thought to have some degree of sleep apnea
• People with sleep apnea are 3x more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents
• About 38,000 cardiovascular deaths annually are in some way related to sleep apnea
• People with depression are 5x more likely to have a sleep breathing disorder than non-depressed people
• 20-40% of adults have insomnia in the course of any year
• Narcolepsy affects as many as 200,000 Americans of which fewer than 50,000 are diagnosed
• Restless Leg Syndrome affects as many as 10% of Americans

Types of Sleep Disorders

• Sleep Apnea
• Insomnia
• Parasomnia
• Narcolepsy
• Periodic Leg Movement
• Snoring

Signs and Symptoms

• Snoring
• Restless Sleep
• Large Neck Size
• Obesity
• Irritability
• Memory Loss
• Depression
• Gasping or choking during sleep
• Excessive sleepiness or fatigue
• Morning headaches
• Sexual dysfunction
• Frequent urination
• High blood pressure
• Poor judgement or concentration

Dental Manifestations

• Worn or flat teeth
• Excessive gum recession
• Tori (bone growths)
• Scalloped tongue
• Tongue level
• Long uvula
• Red throat and/or enlarged tonsils

Tagawa & Curtis Orthodontics - www.breasmiles.com - 714.990.5414