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What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common condition that occurs when your breathing stops and restarts multiple times through the night. This can be dangerous to your body as it is not getting the proper oxygen needed during rest, which can potentially prove to be serious left untreated over time.
While Snoring can often be interpreted as a sign of sleep apnea, the two do not always appear together. The origins of snoring mimic that of obstructive sleep apnea, but not all individuals who snore are diagnosed with sleep apnea.
However, it is important to note that snoring is associated with an increased risk of hypertension, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease. Oftentimes the more one snores, the greater risk there is for a stroke to occur.
How to Identify a Sleep Disorder?
Consider the following questions, and if you answer "yes" to the majority of them it may be worth scheduling an evaluation of your sleep habits.
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Have you been told that you snore?
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Have you been told that you stop breathing during sleep?
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Do you feel tired and irritable in the morning, even after sleeping through the night?
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Are you having trouble controlling your weight?
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Do you sweat excessively while sleeping through the night?
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Have you noticed irregular heart pounding during the night?
How Do We Treat Sleep Apnea & Snoring?
The dental solution to treating obstructive sleep apnea is creating a customized, removable oral appliance instead of the traditional C-PAP, which can often times be too clunky or uncomfortable for patients to use every night as they're meant to.
Oral appliances treat sleep apnea by pulling your jaw or tongue forward while you sleep. The purpose of this much smaller oral device is to keep your airway open through the night to avoid pauses or sudden stops in your breathing. Reduced airflow triggers your brain to wake up just enough to keep breathing, so you will also feel better rested upon waking up.
For trouble with snoring (even without a sleep apnea diagnosis) our providers are capable of removing the Palatal Tissue. The removal of this tissue serves both the purpose of stopping your snoring while also preventing the risk of sleep apnea in the future.
If you (or your partner) suffers from either of the above conditions, feel free to schedule your free consultation below or reach out to our team today!
Meet Our Doctors
Dr. Kamini Patel, DDS.
TMJ Dental Specialist serving Southwest Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Area
Dr. Kamini Patel loves dentistry almost as much as her patients. Her passion to practice knows no bounds, as she continues to push her limits even in 2026 by mastering all aspects of dentistry and going beyond to specialize in Airway-Focused treatments that include sleep-disordered breathing and TMJ dysfunction.
Patel graduated with Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 1994 from the Ahmedabad, Gujarat University, India and is a certified General Dentist who specializes in treating TMJ and providing comfortable Sleep Apnea Solutions.
Dr. Ashalatha Kancharla, DDS.
TMJ Dental Specialist Serving Southwest Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Area
Dr. Kancharla has over 20 years of experience serving the community as a dentist in Southwest Philadelphia.
She graduated with a DDS degree from the prestigious New York College of Dentistry and is a member of good standing in both the American Dental Association and Pennsylvania Dental Association.
