Sleep Apnea Appliance
Do you suffer from Sleep Apnea?
Restless nights and drowsy days could be signs of a serious sleep disorder.
If you consistently feel tired during the day, even after a full night’s sleep, or if your partner complains about your loud snoring, you may be one of the millions of people affected by sleep apnea. This common disorder occurs when your breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep, depriving your body and brain of the oxygen needed for optimal health and function.
Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to a wide range of health problems, including:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Depression
- Weight gain
In addition to these serious health risks, sleep apnea can significantly impact your quality of life, causing daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and even strained relationships with loved ones disturbed by your snoring.
At Apex Dental, we understand the importance of a good night’s sleep for your overall health and well-being. Our experienced team, Dr. Chris and his team are dedicated to helping you find the most effective and comfortable solution for your unique needs. We offer state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and personalized treatment plans to help you reclaim restful, rejuvenating sleep.
Don’t let sleep apnea control your life. Take the first step towards better health and schedule a consultation with Dr. Chris Gipple today. Together, we can help you achieve the restful, restorative sleep you deserve!
Schedule an Appointment Now!
Schedule an Appointment Now!
To book an appointment simply give us a call at 515-224-1618, or click here to complete the appointment request form.
What Exactly is Snoring?
Snoring is a sound that occurs during sleep when soft tissue in the upper airway vibrates as you breathe. Obesity, nasal obstruction, alcohol, and smoking all increase the risk of snoring.
The sound of snoring tends to be most disturbing to a bed partner or roommate, but loud snoring can wake the person who snores, too. Loud and frequent snoring is a common sign of obstructive sleep apnea.
Anti-Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Devices
Approximately 25 million adults in the U.S. have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can cause them to stop breathing hundreds of times a night for anywhere from a few seconds to more than a minute.
OSA is a chronic condition that occurs when your muscles relax during sleep, allowing soft tissue to collapse and block the airway. As a result, repeated breathing pauses occur, which often reduce your oxygen levels. These breathing pauses are followed by brief awakenings that disturb your sleep.
Some common signs you are losing shut-eye due to OSA include snoring, gasping or choking sounds during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue, morning headaches, memory problems, irritability, and insomnia.
Having excess body weight, a narrow airway, or misaligned jaw all increase the risk of OSA. Like snoring, OSA is more common in men, but it can occur in women too, especially during and after menopause.
The Benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnea
Oral appliance therapy offers a comfortable and convenient alternative to traditional CPAP treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Custom-made oral appliances, similar to mouth guards, are designed to support your jaw in a forward position, keeping your airway open during sleep. This non-invasive treatment option can significantly improve your quality of life and help you achieve restful, uninterrupted sleep.
At Apex Dental, Dr. Chris and his team are dedicated to providing the most advanced and effective oral appliance therapy for our patients. We work closely with your sleep physician to ensure that your custom-fitted appliance meets your specific needs and preferences.
Key advantages of oral appliance therapy include:
- Comfort: Oral appliances are designed to fit comfortably in your mouth, allowing you to sleep without the discomfort or restrictions of a CPAP mask and tubing.
- Portability: Oral appliances are small, lightweight, and easy to carry, making them ideal for travel or use in any sleeping environment.
- Ease of use: Unlike CPAP machines, oral appliances require no electricity or complicated setup. Simply place the appliance in your mouth before going to sleep and remove it when you wake up.
- Quiet: Oral appliances are silent, allowing you and your bed partner to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep without the noise of a CPAP machine.
- Easy maintenance: Cleaning and caring for your oral appliance is simple, requiring only regular brushing and occasional soaking in a cleaning solution.
In addition to these benefits, oral appliance therapy is covered by most medical insurance plans. Our knowledgeable team at Apex Dental will assist you in navigating the insurance process and ensuring that you receive the maximum coverage for your treatment.
Meet Iowa’s Leading Dental Sleep Medicine Specialist
Dr. Gipple has undergone training from the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) to treat Sleep Related Breathing Disorders, which include snoring and sleep apnea. Through continued training in this area, he achieved Diplomate status from the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) – a designation that less than 0.5% of all dentists in the country have and which is widely recognized as the gold standard for excellence in dental sleep medicine. Dr. Gipple is proud to be one of the only Diplomates in the state of Iowa.
This is a great place! Not only new and modern technology but all the staff and Doctors are friendly, caring, and professional. I was referred here by my sleep doctor for an alternative sleep apnea device instead of a CPAP bulky, noisy machine. I met with Dr. Chris Gipple and he was fantastic! He is knowledgeable, professional, and precise, and got me fitted for the new device. The only hard part was waiting for the device to be made so I could possibly get some sleep again. The device came in early so they got me in early and I had immediate relief after wearing it on night one!! The follow-ups with Dr. Gipple have been productive and I am so glad I decided to try a newer device for my recently diagnosed sleep apnea. I highly recommend Dr. Gipple and all the staff at Apex Dental. It has been a great experience and they work with your insurance and get you any out-of-pocket costs upfront.
Frequent Questions:
Is Treating OSA Important?
Treating OSA is incredibly important to your health, since untreated OSA is potentially life-threatening and raises your risk for serious health problems. These include high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, depression, obesity, chronic acid reflux, and erectile dysfunction. It is also a threat to your safety as it increases your risk of drowsy driving and workplace accidents.
How are Snoring and OSA Diagnosed?
Dr. Chris works closely with primary-care and sleep physicians to diagnose and treat snoring and OSA. A sleep physician can provide you with a complete sleep evaluation, which may involve either an overnight sleep study at a sleep center or a home sleep apnea test. The sleep physician will interpret the data from your sleep study to make a diagnosis.
How are Snoring and OSA Treated?
Your sleep physician will discuss treatment options with you. The traditionally prescribed treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. It involves sleeping with a face mask connected by tubing to a constantly-running machine that forces air down your airway to keep it open. Although CPAP is effective, up to half of patients don’t adhere to the treatment. Dentists can provide an alternate sleep solution with oral appliance therapy, which uses a mouth guard-like device to support your jaw in a forward position in order to maintain an open, unobstructed airway.
Advantages of Oral Appliance Therapy?
Research shows that oral appliance therapy is an effective, non-invasive treatment option for snoring and OSA that easily fits into your lifestyle. Treating snoring or OSA with oral appliance therapy can help you feel like a new person. You will find that your symptoms, and your quality of life, can improve dramatically when you remain committed to your treatment and use it nightly.
It is likely that you will sleep better, have more energy, and feel sharper throughout the day. You may find that your bed partner begins to sleep better, too! Patients like oral appliance therapy because they find it more comfortable to wear than a CPAP mask, it is quiet, portable, easy to wear, and easy to clean.
Starting Oral Appliance Therapy?
Once you and your physician decide that oral appliance therapy is a viable treatment option for you, they will write a prescription for you to receive a custom-made oral appliance, and a qualified dentist who is experienced in dental sleep medicine will make you a custom-fitted oral appliance.
At Apex Dental, Dr. Chris will conduct a complete clinical evaluation to examine your teeth, jaw, tongue, and airway, and recommend the device that is best for you. We will then scan your mouth to make a digital impression so the oral appliance can be fabricated. Dr. Chris will fit and adjust the appliance to maximize its comfort and effectiveness. After wearing your appliance for a while, and after any necessary adjustments, your sleep physician may schedule you for a sleep study to verify treatment success. Oral appliance therapy is covered by most medical insurance plans and Medicare, and our fabulous team will help you through that process.
Custom-fitted oral appliances from Apex Dental can improve your sleep, restore your alertness, and revitalize your health. If you have concerns about snoring or sleep apnea, please make an appointment to discuss this life-changing treatment with us.
If you suspect you may have sleep apnea, we can recommend a sleep physician to help you get started on your path to treatment. If you have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, or you cannot (or do not) wear your CPAP, we can fit you with an oral appliance.
Our team at Apex Dental is ready to answer your questions about snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, dental sleep medicine, and oral appliance therapy!
Making teeth healthy. Making people happy. Making life awesome.
Phone
(515) 224 1618
Address
725 S 51st St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
Open Hours
Mon - Fri: 8AM - 5PM
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We'd love to hear from you! Please give us a call at (515) 224 1618 or complete the form below to message us or request an appointment.