What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a potentially debilitating condition characterized by shallow or infrequent breathing during sleep. Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles supporting the soft palate relax, allowing the airway to narrow and close as you breathe in. It causes sufferers to snore loudly, choke, and gasp during sleep, leaving them (and those closest to them) feeling exhausted during the day. Conditions that have been linked to sleep apnea include high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and impaired concentration. Though it has the potential to be debilitating, at Robinson Dental, Lynnwood dentist Dr. Brent Robinson has effective treatments that will put an end to your lonely nights and weary days.

How Is Sleep Apnea Treated?

At our Lynnwood dental office, Dr. Brent Robinson addresses sleep apnea symptoms and snoring with a removable, oral sleep apnea appliance (similar to a mouthpiece) that stabilizes the tongue and repositions the jaw. This allows for normal mouth opening and closing, as well as normal airflow, giving you immediate relief from sleep apnea symptoms. Though the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device is the gold standard for treating mild to severe sleep apnea, our treatment is far less invasive and is ideal for patients who can’t tolerate the CPAP or who suffer from mild sleep apnea. Oral appliances are easy to use and require little to no change in your lifestyle.