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Our readers are invited to email us with their questions!
Q: What should I do if the appliance I got from my Dentist breaks? (Marcus A.)
A: Marcus, you should return to the dentist who made it. They can often repair it right then or in some cases, send it back to the lab. It also depends on how it broke. If it broke from normal use, there is a much better chance it can be repaired. If instead, it was because your dog chewed it, you might need a new one. For those appliances more than a few years old, it might be replacement time as these custom Dentist made appliances usually last from 3 – 7 years.
If you are very happy with the appliance from your Dentist, I recommend to many of my patients is to get a duplicate. That way if the dog eats it, or it gets left at a hotel, etc you are not without your key to a real good night sleep.
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Q: Can I prevent OSA when I'm older if I treat it aggressively enough when I am younger? (Azur B.)
A: Azur!, treating any disease or medical condition early is always the smart decision. The reason is: you can prevent the damaging effects that would be occurring otherwise. Treating it later, you have to fix the damage as well as treat a much more severe disease.
Historically, it is much easier to treat any medical condition in its early stages rather than when it is severe.
Just think of cancer. If you catch it early, the long term impact will be minimal, but if you waited a couple of years you might not make it out alive. Sleep apnea too can be serious if not treated soon enough. And almost 50% of those who snore, have Sleep Apnea. If you snore, are overweight, have high blood pressure and/or Type 2 Diabetes, you have a greater than 90% chance of having Sleep Apnea. Don’t wait, get tested!
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