Sleep Apnea Treatment in Brunswick, Ohio

If you’ve been waking up exhausted despite spending eight hours in bed, or if your partner has started sleeping in another room because of your loud snoring, you might be dealing with sleep apnea. This condition affects thousands of people across Ohio, and many don’t even realize they have it.

At Lifestyle Family Dentistry, we see patients every week who thought their restless nights were just part of getting older or being stressed. The truth is, effective sleep apnea treatment in Brunswick, Ohio, can give you back the refreshing sleep you’ve been missing.

Sleep apnea occurs when your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. The most common type, obstructive sleep apnea, happens when the muscles in your throat relax too much, causing your airway to narrow or close completely. This forces your body to wake up just enough to restart breathing, often with a loud snort or gasp that disrupts both you and your sleeping partner.

Beyond the obvious loud snoring and morning fatigue, untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health complications, including high blood pressure, heart problems, and increased accident risk due to daytime drowsiness. Many of our Brunswick patients tell us they had no idea how much their sleep disorder was affecting their daily lives until they finally sought treatment.

When most people think about sleep apnea treatment, they imagine being referred to a sleep clinic and fitted for a bulky CPAP machine. Our dentist in Brunswick, Ohio, offers a unique advantage in treating this condition. She understands the intricate anatomy of your mouth, jaw, and airway better than almost any other healthcare provider.

Your oral structures play a crucial role in maintaining an open airway during sleep. The position of your jaw, the size of your tongue, and even the shape of your palate all influence how well air flows through your system at night.

During your consultation, we can identify specific anatomical factors that may be contributing to your sleep apnea and develop a targeted treatment plan.

Traditional sleep medicine relies heavily on CPAP machines, which use pressurized air to keep your airway open throughout the night. While CPAP therapy can be effective, many patients in Ohio struggle with the noise, discomfort, and inconvenience of sleeping with a mask and machine every night.

This is where oral appliance therapy shines as an alternative treatment option. We create custom-fitted oral appliances that work by gently repositioning your lower jaw and tongue to maintain an open airway naturally. These devices are small, quiet, and incredibly convenient. You simply insert the appliance before bed, just like wearing a retainer.

The appliance holds your jaw in a slightly forward position, which prevents the soft tissues in your throat from collapsing and blocking your breathing. Most patients adapt to wearing their oral appliance within just a few nights, and many report immediate improvements in their sleep quality and reduction in loud snoring.