For years, a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea meant one thing: a lifetime of nights tethered to a forced air machine (CPAP). Now, many sleep apnea sufferers are learning that a trip to a specially trained dentist may be just what the doctor orders.
Dr. Matt Patterson, who focuses exclusively on dental sleep medicine and is founder of Lancaster Snoring and Sleep Center, offers an alternative: an oral appliance that is less cumbersome, easier to clean and equally effective.
Dr. Matt Patterson
Sleep apnea affects nearly 22 million Americans. People tend to equate the condition with overweight, middle-aged men, but it can affect anyone at any age.