Snoring and Sleep Apnea can be effectively treated with an EMA Oral Appliance!
Do you snore, or is someone else’s snoring keeping you up at night?
River Valley Dental can help with that! We recommend a professional made EMA® (Elastic Mandibular Advancement) oral appliance.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a debilitating sleep-related breathing disorder defined as the cessation of breathing for 10 seconds or more. During sleep the muscles relax, causing the soft tissue of the airway to collapse and obstruct the airway. The body reacts to the closure by disrupting deep sleep enough to start breathing again but deprives the sufferer of getting a good night sleep. It is said that this condition affects more than 40 million Americas! If left untreated, OSA can lead to heart disease, strokes, and excessive sleepiness.
Snoring is a sign of restricted airflow and impeded breathing during sleep, results in excessive daytime sleepiness, affects the quality of sleep of those around you, and a diminished overall quality of life.
The EMA is portable, fits entirely in your mouth and does not require electricity or noise that might bother others. You can also talk and drink while wearing it. The EMA works by opening the bite and gently advancing the jaw with elastic straps to increase airway space. These custom made appliances are only available through dental professionals.
An appointment to have an EMA made is fairly simple. We schedule for 30 minutes to scan and take measurements of the patient’s jaw. These are then sent to a dental laboratory and the EMA is fabricated. The patient then comes back 2-weeks later and the device is tried in for fit. This device is removable, and only worn while sleeping. After worn through the night your bite may feel off upon waking. This a perfectly normal side effect from wearing the EMA and will return to normal after an hour or two. EMA’s are recommended by both The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Dr. Pooley!
Ask Dr. Pooley at your next appointment if one of these appliances would work for you!