4000 SW 34th Ave #B, Amarillo, TX 79109
You Deserve to Breathe, Sleep, and Live Better
A smile is not the only thing orthodontic care can transform. Dr. Gary Chapman and the team at Dental Group Orthodontics also help patients and children address sleep disorders and chronic snoring, using digital imaging to get a clear picture of the airway, jaw, and surrounding structures that a routine physical exam alone cannot always capture.
If sleepless nights, loud snoring, or constant daytime fatigue sound familiar, either for yourself or your child, it is worth having a conversation about what might be going on and what treatment options exist.
Schedule a Sleep Apnea Consultation
Sleep Apnea Is More Common Than You Think
Millions of people live with undiagnosed sleep apnea, often without realizing their constant tiredness, morning headaches, or trouble concentrating are connected to what is happening while they sleep. In children, sleep apnea is frequently overlooked entirely, since kids are not expected to snore the way adults do.
A child who snores regularly, even without a cold, is showing a sign worth paying attention to. The same goes for an adult who wakes up gasping, feels exhausted no matter how many hours they spend in bed, or has been told by a partner that their breathing seems to stop during the night.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, sometimes dozens of times an hour, as the airway becomes partially or fully blocked. Each pause triggers the brain to briefly rouse the body enough to resume breathing, even if the person never fully wakes up or remembers it happening.
Because these interruptions are so brief, many people with sleep apnea believe they are sleeping just fine, when in reality they are never reaching the deep, restorative sleep the body needs. Over time, this repeated cycle of interrupted breathing and fragmented sleep is what leads to the daytime exhaustion, irritability, and difficulty concentrating so often associated with the condition.
Signs and Symptoms Worth Paying Attention To
Sleep apnea can look different from one person to the next, and symptoms in children often look different than symptoms in adults. Signs worth discussing at a consultation include:
- Loud, frequent snoring
- Grinding teeth during sleep
- Bed wetting, particularly in children who had previously stopped
- Sleepwalking or night terrors
- Insomnia or a hard time falling and staying asleep
- Waking up gasping or short of breath
- Snorting or choking sounds during sleep
- Headaches upon waking in the morning
- Falling asleep unintentionally during the day
- Persistent drowsiness or fatigue, no matter how much time is spent in bed
In adults, we also commonly see the following symptoms:
- TMJ pain-Pain in the jaw joint(s)
- High blood pressure
- Prediabetes
- Cardiac problems
Noticing one or more of these signs does not automatically mean sleep apnea is present, but it is worth bringing up during a consultation so it can be evaluated properly, alongside a physician when a formal diagnosis is needed.
Recognizing Sleep Apnea in Children
Sleep apnea in children is frequently missed, in part because the signs look different than they do in adults. Rather than daytime sleepiness, a child with sleep apnea might show up as hyperactivity (including ADHD symptoms), trouble focusing at school, bed wetting, or behavior that gets mistaken for an unrelated issue entirely. Loud, habitual snoring in a child, especially without a cold, is one of the clearest signs worth having evaluated.
Because a child's jaw and airway are still developing, addressing airway restriction early can support both better sleep and healthier long term facial and jaw development, which is part of why airway health is considered during every childhood orthodontic evaluation at Dental Group Orthodontics.
Learn More About Airway Orthodontics
Better Sleep Starts with One Conversation
Whether it is your own sleep or your child's, chronic snoring and exhaustion are not something to simply live with. Schedule a consultation with Dental Group Orthodontics to talk through what you are noticing and what options might help.
Request an Appointment