Sleep Apnoea Melbourne

Sleep Better: have Your Sleep Apnoea Treated

Sleep Apnoea Melbourne Victoria

2 Out of Every 10, Adult Australians Experience Snoring and have Some Degree of Sleep Apnoea.

Sleep apnoea happens when the walls of your throat either collapse or come together while you sleep, and this partially blocks your airway. If you have sleep apnoea it can cause you to wake up hundreds of times a night. However, it’s not a conscious waking, that is, your body kick starts the breathing cycle again and you lapse back to sleep—but because your body’s constantly kick-starting your breathing you don’t receive the deep sleep your body requires.

 

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Some of the Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnoea in Melbourne are:

  • interrupted sleep for yourself or your partner
  • tiredness on waking
  • excessive day time sleepiness
  • poor concentration

 

3 Different Types of Melbourne Sleep Apnoea

There are three different types of sleep apnoea: obstructive sleep apnoea, central sleep apnoea, mixed sleep apnoea.

  1. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA): when your airway becomes blocked
  2. Central sleep apnoea: when your airway isn’t blocked but your brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe
  3. Mixed sleep apnoea: a combination of the two
Snoring Man woman covering her ears with pillow

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Sleep Apnoea and Your Health

Sleep-related breathing disorders such as snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) can be effectively managed by dental sleep appliances.

Snoring or OSA is a result of a partial or complete closure of your airways during sleep due to an obstruction of your airways and results in a lack of oxygen intake to your lungs. This means when you are sleeping you are not breathing efficiently or sometimes not breathing at all.

C PAP

This can Lead to a Range of Health and Lifestyle Implications

  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD)
  • Stroke
  • Heart attacks
  • Obesity
  • Increased daytime sleepiness
  • Poor concentration
  • Mood changes
  • Depressions
  • Falling asleep while driving

A large number of the population have an undiagnosed sleep-related breathing disorder. Dentists who are trained in this field are able to recognise signs and symptoms of sleep-related breathing disorder such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea. Our dentists work closely with sleep physicians, orthodontists and ENT surgeons to diagnose and manage our patient’s sleep disorders.

If you or your partner suffer from snoring, or you suspect to have an obstruction in your airways during sleep speak to one of our dentists to find out how you can get properly diagnosed. Our dentists may also suggest that you have a high risk of sleep-related breathing disorders due to the skeletal and soft tissue features they may identify during your dental examination.

Clinical Features of OSA:

  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Witnessed choking or apnoeas by bed partners
  • Morning headaches
  • Lack of concentration
  • Mood swings
  • GORD
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Large neck circumference
  • Narrow airway or blocked nose
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressures
  • Snoring

Mandibular Advancement Splint

A mandibular advance splint (MAS) is a dental appliance that is custom made to fit over your teeth and bring your lower jaw and tongue forward, thereby increasing the airways in a 3-dimensional manner. This is an evidence-based treatment for snoring and OSA with improved symptoms and quality of sleep.

A MAS may also be suitable for those who are intolerant of their CPAP treatment for reasons such as discomfort, claustrophobia, frequent travel, noise, complaints from bed partners, etc.

If you or your partner suffer from chronic snoring, or you have been diagnosed with OSA our dentists can perform a comprehensive dental examination to see if you are suitable to have a MAS.

Once you are deemed suitable to proceed with treatment your dentist will make dental impressions of your teeth and make a special record of your bite.

A custom made MAS will be ready in 2 weeks for fitting, and your dentist will organise follow-up appointments with you to make sure you are getting good quality sleep. You are also advised to continue seeing your sleep physician for follow-up sleep tests.

You can also find out more information regarding Melbourne sleep dentistry by viewing our latest blogs:

Breathe Better = Healthier Life

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