Pasadena 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?

At Pasadena Dental Aesthetics, Dr. Azarbal performs detailed polysomnography testing (sleep studies) to diagnose sleep problems and recommend a solution tailored to your needs.

Dr. Azarbal is experienced in the use of a number of non-invasive oral appliances, including Dr. Keropian's Full Breath Solution and the SomnoDent® MAS. These devices are worn over the teeth like mouthguards and fit inside the patient's mouth; they are designed to correct physical problems that lead to obstruction of the patient's airway.

CPAP Intolerant Patients

For many patients, use of an oral appliance to open the airway resolves obstructive sleep apnea episodes without the need for a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device.

For those who have already been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and are having difficulty using a CPAP machine, Dr. Azarbal can recommend a range of alternative treatments.

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.