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The Consequences of Untreated Sleep Apnea
Leaving sleep apnea untreated can have severe and far-reaching consequences on overall health and well-being. It is strongly associated with several well-documented conditions and may have potential links to other emerging health issues.
Well-Documented Associations:
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Atherosclerosis
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Insulin resistance
- Metabolic syndrome
Potential Emerging Links:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Dementia and cognitive decline
- Certain types of cancers (potentially related to chronic inflammation caused by sleep apnea)
Additionally, sleep apnea can lead to excessive daytime fatigue, cognitive impairment, and decreased productivity, affecting work performance and academic achievement. It also raises the risk of accidents due to sleepiness and impaired concentration.
Common Signs and Symptoms
- Loud, chronic snoring
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Dry mouth/sore throat upon waking
- Morning headaches
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Inability to concentrate
- Irritability
Risk Factors
Several factors can increase an individual’s susceptibility to developing sleep apnea, including:
- Excess weight or obesity
- Jaw abnormalities resulting in a narrow upper airway
- Advancing age
- Lifestyle habits (smoking, alcohol consumption)
- Nasal congestion or structural issues
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
The gold standard for diagnosing sleep apnea is an overnight sleep study called polysomnography, conducted at a specialized sleep clinic or laboratory. During this study, various physiological parameters, such as breathing patterns, airflow, oxygen levels, body movements, heart rate, and brain wave activity, are monitored and analyzed to identify and characterize any sleep-related breathing disorders.
It is often most practical to start with an at-home sleep apnea test (HSAT) that you use at your convenience, in your own home. We offer one-night home sleep testing that does not require you to bring the test kit back to our office, as the test kit is disposable and one-time-use. All of our home sleep tests are read by a credentialed sleep medicine physician, and a diagnostic report is generally available a few days later.
HSATs are primarily designed to detect OSA and are suitable for patients with a high pre-test probability. However, they cannot reliably differentiate between OSA and central sleep apnea (CSA) because they do not measure brain wave activity. For suspected CSA or cases involving significant comorbidities, polysomnography is recommended.
Treatment Solutions
The most widely used and effective treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which involves wearing a mask connected to a machine that delivers a steady flow of air into the nose and/or mouth during sleep, keeping the airway open.
Other treatment options include:
- Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT): These dental devices reposition the jaw and tongue to reduce airway obstruction.
- Weight loss and lifestyle changes: For individuals with obesity or excess weight, losing weight can reduce fat deposits around the upper airway, alleviating obstruction.
- Positional therapy: Encouraging side-sleeping positions to prevent airway collapse in individuals who experience sleep apnea primarily when sleeping on their back.
- Orthodontic and Craniofacial Orthopedic interventions: The following interventions are aimed at addressing the narrow airway at its root cause, which is often the structure of the jaws and a lack of tongue space inside the mouth.
- Orthodontic treatment can correct jaw alignment and dental crowding, which may contribute to increasing upper airway volume depending on the individual’s anatomy.
- Non-surgical jaw expansion and repositioning: Generally possible in children and in mild adult cases.
- Minimally invasive jaw expansion: Sometimes necessary for adults and in cases requiring larger changes to the jaw structure.
- Surgical jaw expansion and/or advancement: While invasive, surgical changes to the jaw structure can offer maximal airway enlargement in severe cases.
How Can Your Houston Orthodontics Office Help?
Advance Orthodontics offers specialized airway-conscious orthodontic treatment for both children and adults with sleep apnea. Our solutions include:
- Maxillary expansion to widen the upper jaw/palate, increasing nasal and oral cavity volume, which may improve airflow.
- Orthodontic treatment with braces/Invisalign® to correct bite issues and optimize jaw alignment for better airway patency.
- Surgical orthodontics with Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA) Surgery to reposition the jaws and improve airway space.
- Custom oral appliances/mouthpieces to gently reposition the jaw and prevent airway collapse.
- Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (MARPE)
Sleep Apnea in Children
While often associated with adults, sleep apnea can also affect children, with potentially serious consequences on their growth, development, and overall well-being.
Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea in Children:
- Snoring
- Breathing pauses during sleep
- Restless sleep and frequent awakenings
- Irritability and behavioral problems
- ADD/ADHD
- Hyperactivity
- Depression and Anxiety
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Bedwetting
If left untreated, sleep apnea in children can lead to various health issues, including growth problems, cardiovascular problems, and learning difficulties.
Treatment Options for Children with Sleep Apnea
- Adenoid and Tonsil Removal (Adenotonsillectomy): If enlarged adenoids or tonsils are causing obstructive sleep apnea, surgical removal is a common treatment option to open up the airway and improve breathing during sleep.
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): While CPAP can be an excellent short-term solution for children, we generally strive to eliminate the need for it when possible, as CPAP mask wear may result in decreased maxillary growth, causing the airway to remain narrow as the child grows.
- Weight Management: For children with obesity contributing to sleep apnea, adopting a healthy diet and increasing physical activity can help reduce symptoms.
- Positional Therapy: Some children experience obstructive sleep apnea primarily when sleeping on their back. Positional therapy encourages sleeping in other positions to prevent airway obstruction.
- Lifestyle Modifications: Encouraging healthy sleep habits, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and creating a relaxing bedtime routine, can promote better sleep quality and reduce the severity of sleep apnea symptoms in children.
- Orthodontic Treatment: Certain dental or jaw abnormalities can contribute to sleep apnea in children. Orthodontic interventions, such as jaw expansion appliances and braces, may be recommended to correct these issues and improve breathing during sleep.
Orthodontic Solutions for Children with Sleep Apnea
At Advance Orthodontics, specialized orthodontic treatments are available for children with sleep apnea, including:
- Orthodontic Braces: Correcting dental and jaw alignment issues can contribute to increasing oral cavity volume.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) or Rapid Palatal Expansion (RPE): Widening the upper jaw using a palatal expander increases both nasal cavity and oral cavity volume.
- Functional Appliances: These devices aim to influence the growth and position of the jaws to improve breathing and facial harmony.
A multidisciplinary approach, involving collaboration between sleep specialists, otolaryngologists, orthodontists, and other healthcare professionals, is essential for comprehensive evaluation and personalized treatment tailored to each child’s unique needs and stage of growth and development.
Don’t let sleep apnea continue to impact your well-being. After discussing your symptoms and performing a thorough examination, our doctors will carefully devise a personalized treatment plan aiming to provide lasting relief. Schedule an orthodontic evaluation at Advance Orthodontics today to explore how treatment could help improve your sleep, support better health, and enhance your quality of life.