Sleep Health Overview

Nashua, NH Dentist

Oxygen is vital to our survival as every organ and process in our body requires consistent and effective breathing. One of the first signs that you may have a sleep breathing disorder is snoring. While snoring doesn’t necessarily mean you have a more significant health issue like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), it is a sign that further evaluation is necessary. Dr. Stephen C. Ura and his team are highly trained in sleep apnea treatment. At his Nashua, NH, practice, he will work closely with your physician to obtain an accurate diagnosis and help deliver effective care. The team at the Center for Dental Excellence is experienced in addressing OSA with simple, comfortable oral appliances. These devices will position your jaw to open your airway. This will improve your breathing and enable you to enjoy a restful night’s sleep. With successful treatment, you could feel significantly better both physically and mentally. If you suspect or have a concern about your sleep health, you should seek treatment as soon as possible as it can save your life!

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age and can be caused by several factors. Although it is commonly thought to impact middle-aged men and overweight individuals, sleep apnea can also affect petite woman and children. If you are struggling with this condition, your soft palate, throat, or other soft tissue will slacken while you are asleep. Your tongue could also fall back into your throat closing your airway so that breathing will stop or be reduced repeatedly. You will eventually resume breathing – but only after you wake up or move to a less restful stage of sleep.

Are You Not Wearing Your CPAP?

While the CPAP is considered the gold standard for treating sleep apnea, there are some individuals who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy. This can be due to various reasons from people not being able to tolerate the facemask or sleeping in one position, to requiring high CPAP pressures. We will work with your physician to either substitute oral appliance therapy (OAT), or use OAT in conjunction with CPAP at lower pressures (combination therapy).

How Do We Treat Sleep Apnea Patients?

Dr. Ura typically provides oral appliances to treat OSA. Your small, individually crafted device will be made from impressions and will fit comfortably over your teeth. With very light pressure, it will keep your lower jaw forward, thereby opening your airway. If needed, we can also provide a tongue-retaining device, which will keep your tongue from falling back into your throat. Because they are custom made, our oral appliances are easy to tolerate. In just a few nights, most patients enjoy a complete night’s sleep, and they wake up feeling more refreshed and alert. We can even install a tracking device to give your physician critical information in order to monitor your treatment with the oral appliance.

Appliances are comfortable and convenient, and enjoy greater rates of patient compliance. More importantly, when you combine their overall use along with their increased effectiveness, they can be just as effective as CPAP or in some cases more so.

Why is it Important to Treat OSA?

Our sleep apnea treatment can have dramatic and even life-altering benefits. OSA causes notable symptoms that can include chronic fatigue, irritability, tooth grinding, acid reflux, mood swings, and frequent headaches. Our care can dramatically ease these effects. Treatment can also improve your overall health, since OSA has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. With treatment for OSA, you are less likely to experience a life-threatening cardiovascular condition and reduce the risk of diabetes.

Our sleep apnea treatment can have dramatic and even life-altering benefits.

Why Choose Us?

When you visit The Sleep Center at the Center for Dental Excellence, you will enjoy beneficial treatment from a well-trained team. Dr. Ura attended the Tufts University School of Medicine’s prestigious Dental Sleep Residency Program along with programs from American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. (He is a proud member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine). Thanks to his training and professional affiliations, he utilizes the latest techniques that complement his whole-health approach to dentistry. We will also work with your medical insurance including Medicare to minimize your out of pocket expenses.

Schedule a Sleep Apnea Consultation

Learn how our sleep health treatment could improve your health and quality of life. Contact the Center for Dental Excellence for the outstanding care that you deserve.