Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that can affect your sleep schedule. It can also affect the amount of energy you have during the day. This sleeping disorder occurs when your throat muscles relax, closing themselves. This limits the amount of oxygen that your brain receives. It can be a scary thing, especially when it happens to kids. At Dry Creek Pediatric Dentistry, we offer sleep apnea treatment to all our patients to help them with sleep. We invite you to continue reading to learn more about sleep apnea and treatments.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Different types of sleep apnea can exist, but the most common type is obstructive. This occurs when something blocks your airway. Anything can block your airway from excess tissue to throat muscles. This can make it difficult for you to breathe. Luckily, this is a treatable condition. The trained professionals in our Lehi, Utah, office understand sleep apnea.
While sleep apnea is diagnosable, it is possible to recognize symptoms. Some symptoms include:
- Lack of energy during the day
- Loud snoring
- High blood pressure
- Waking up gasping
- Teeth grinding
Treatment for Kids
The MyoBrace Appliance: Our number one treatment for kids dealing with sleep apnea is the use and wear of the Myobrace. The Myobrace is an orthodontic appliance made to correct tongue position and alignment. It makes it easier for your child to breathe. It looks like a mouth guard, but it does more than protect your teeth. The Myobrace keeps your mouth in a certain position and helps to expand the oral palate. This makes it so the airway is not blocked. Over time, your body will have muscle memory to learn how and where to keep the tongue. Overtime, your child will not need the MyoBrace.
Nightlase: Our Nightlase Laser is a way to treat more advanced cases of sleep apnea. We can use the laser in a non-invasive procedure to treat the area of the mouth that is blocking the airway. We offer laser dentistry as a solution to many different dental procedures. If you have any questions about the different lasers we use, please review our laser service page. You can also reach out to Dry Creek Pediatric Dentistry with any questions.
Here at Dry Creek Pediatric Dentistry, we know that kids need a good night’s rest. If your child is having trouble sleeping, please give us a call. They may have sleep apnea. Our trained professionals know how to treat sleep apnea, so reach out to us with any questions.