North Texas Dentistry Volume 12 Issue 4 | Page 8

COVER FEATURE
Sleep Dallas offers a wide range of appliance options , which are then custom fit to the wearer to maximize the efficacy of the device and the relief that patients experience .
Photo by Ray Bryant , Bryant Studios

Dentists are Critical Sentries for Identifying Sleep Disorders Sleep Dallas

by Tina Cauller
Sleep Dallas is a sleep disorders clinic that treats patients with conditions such as narcolepsy , RLS , circadian rhythm disorders , insomnia , and sleep apnea .
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which short pauses in breathing occur hundreds of times during the sleep cycle . These pauses lower oxygen levels , impact sleep quality , and can negatively affect overall health .
Sleep apnea can result when the airway becomes partially or fully blocked ( OSA ) or when the brain fails to send the proper signal for inhalation and exhalation ( CSA ). Although OSA accounts for over 80 % of cases of sleep-disordered breathing , patients can also have a combination of the two types , a condition known as complex sleep apnea .
Despite the estimated 22 million individuals who live with sleep apnea , the condition often goes undiagnosed , since many pa-
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