Is Airway Orthodontics a Good Solution for Sleep Apnea?

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Spring is finally here and we have sprung forward, losing that precious hour of sleep! But the most important thing about sleep health is making sure your down time is as rejuvenating as possible by getting the good night’s sleep your body and mind need to thrive.  Did you know that this nighttime breathing issue – arising from complete or partial upper airway obstruction – affects over 18 million adults and up to 5 percent of children in our country alone? For those of you who are dealing with sleep apnea, you need to make sure your nights aren’t spent gasping for breath continually or snoring the night away.

Airway-Focused Orthodontics

This serious, life-altering medical condition keeps you from getting the quality of sleep you need. While many people turn to airflow devices like C-Pap machines to sleep better, not everyone can (or needs) to use that form of sleep therapy. Dr. Igel and Dr. Chartrand are pleased to offer our patients an effective sleep apnea alternative to help you optimally breathe while you sleep to reap the necessary long term health benefits your body needs.
Thanks to airway-focused orthodontics you can get a good quality level of sleep by overcoming breathing obstructions that would otherwise lower your oxygen levels during sleep. With untreated sleep apnea, constantly trying to sleep while fighting for sufficient oxygen over time actually raises your risk of getting a variety of serious health conditions.

Children and Sleep Apnea

Igel Orthodontics offers a form of orthodontic treatment that centers on ensuring proper airway function especially in growing children. This is the time when airway problems can be detected while they are young. Early intervention can positively impact the growth of the airway to make sure it is as spacious as needed for healthy breathing and sleep quality. Children can be susceptible to sleep apnea which can lead to learning and behavioral difficulties, heart disease and even affect their growth.

Is Your Child Experiencing OSA Symptoms?

-Snoring
-Ear/Sinus Infections
-Swollen Tonsils
-Lung Disease
-ADD/ADHD
-Bed Wetting
-Mouth Breathing
-Overweight/Obesity
-Chronic Allergies
-Enlarged Adenoids

Treating Airway Disorders

Our orthodontists don’t just focus on straightening teeth but take into account facial structure, nasal passages, sinuses and jaw development when running a diagnostic evaluation. The most effective orthodontic treatment incorporates solutions for medical issues like sleep apnea, snoring and other airway disorders. When it comes to your child’s health, we can also expand the arches using braces and leading edge orthodontic appliances.

Cutting Edge Treatment

Our team’s goal is to address the issues causing the sleep apnea symptoms using advanced techniques and tools. We begin with our in-office diagnostic scanning technology (or I-CAT) to replicate a high-quality 3D image of the mouth, neck and throat to find any structural issues causing restricted airways or sinus abnormalities. This allows us to customize an effective treatment plan designed to relieve sleep apnea symptoms and create healthier breathing habits while monitoring the treatment process.

Call Today!
If you or your child struggles with sleep apnea, we invite you to call our orthodontic team in Omaha, Nebraska, to schedule a complimentary consultation. We can be reached at (402) 330-1152 today!