Sleep Apnea

Did you know that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has designated oral appliances as the preferred treatment for mild and moderate sleep apnea and snoring?

Over 80 million people in North America snore while sleeping. Those who snore, as well as their sleeping partners, are often negatively affected by snoring every night.

Dr. Guffey and his associates prefer to use the "Silent Nite" appliance by Glidwell, pictured here to the left, to treat excessive snoring and sleep apnea.   With Dr. Guffey's help you can have a more restful night. This affordable, custom-made device is flexible, thin and comfortable in the mouth. It has been successfully documented to help stop snoring.   We offer consults free of charge for issues such as snoring. If Mountain View Family Dentistry cannot treat your dental issue, we can refer you to the proper specialist that can help.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Unfortunately, many people suffer for years with sleep apnea before it is diagnosed and treated. Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• snoring;

• sleepiness and fatigue during waking hours;

• sudden night awakenings;

• waking feeling a shortness of breath or gasping for air.

Often it takes a partner or someone else present to witness a person's disordered sleep breathing for it to be appropriately diagnosed.

In addition to problems with fatigue, long-term, untreated sleep apnea can be life-threatening. If left untreated, a person with sleep apnea is at higher risk for memory loss, heart problems, cardiac arrest, and stroke.