Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is sleep apnea associated with obstruction of the airway during sleep. Simply put, something is blocking the airway while you are trying to sleep — and in turn, causing complications such as loss of air and less restful sleep. Lingering lifestyle effects such as brain fog, grogginess, weight gain, high blood pressure (and many more) are usually warning signs associated with OSA. An obstruction during sleep could be too large of a tongue — where when you lay your head down to rest, the tongue falls back and blocks the airway. Other times, anatomical considerations can be in play where someone has too small of an airway.

After a simple exam, our dentists can determine if very little airway space is available — and, through a discussion of sleep patterns, we can further figure out if Obstructive Sleep Apnea is inhibiting restful sleep.

Sleep studies are also usually recommended, where a physician monitors your sleep and can tell how many times you have woken during the night and if there are episodes where breathing stops.

Are you searching for a medical professional in the Capital District to help with sleep apnea treatment and/or snoring therapy? As airway experts, our dentists are uniquely qualified to help. Give us a call or request an appointment on our website to learn more.