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Sleep Apnea Treatment
Rediscover your sleep quality at Levantine Dental Clinic in Dubai. Our expert dentists offer sleep apnea treatment, a quick and efficient solution to help you treating your sleeping problem.
Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the airway partially or fully collapses during sleep, restricting or completely blocking airflow to the lungs. Despite efforts to breathe, the airway remains constricted. To reopen it, the person instinctively adjusts the position of their tongue and jaw, often followed by gasping or snorting. This cycle can repeat multiple times throughout the night.
The consequences of OSA can be serious. Not only does it make breathing more difficult, which can be dangerous, but it also disrupts restful sleep. When the airway closes, the brain prompts the person to transition to lighter stages of sleep, resulting in poor-quality rest. Episodes of gasping or snorting can occur hundreds of times a night, significantly impacting sleep.
If you’re experiencing sleep apnea , we encourage you to visit us for help.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Distinguishing between obstructive and central sleep apneas can be difficult, as their signs and symptoms often overlap. Common warning signs and symptoms of both types of sleep apnea include:
- Loud snoring
- Episodes of stopped breathing during sleep, often noticed by others
- Gasping or heavy breathing during sleep
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
- Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
- Trouble focusing while awake
- Irritability


Dr. Firas Bukai
Dr. Bukai DMD, FAGD, one of the America’s Top Dentists, graduated from prestigious Tufts University in Boston, MA in 1995. He completed advanced general practice training at Loyola University of Chicago in 1997 and then went into private practice. Dr. Bukai practices comprehensive oral care with tremendous clinical experience, but more importantly, he is passionate about listening carefully to each patient and offering the best in professional care.
Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
Conservative Therapies
For mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea, conservative therapies may be sufficient.
- Weight Loss: Losing weight can be particularly beneficial for individuals who are overweight. Even a 10% reduction in weight can significantly decrease the frequency of apneic episodes.
- Avoid Alcohol and Sedatives: Alcohol and certain sleeping medications can increase the risk of airway collapse during sleep and prolong apneic episodes. These substances should be avoided by individuals with obstructive sleep apnea.
- Sleep Position: Some individuals with mild obstructive sleep apnea experience breathing pauses only when sleeping on their back. In such cases, using a wedge pillow or other tools to encourage side sleeping can be an effective treatment option.
Mechanical Therapy
For most individuals with obstructive sleep apnea, Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy is the first-line treatment.
- How PAP Therapy Works: PAP therapy involves wearing a mask over the nose and/or mouth. An air blower delivers a steady stream of air at a precise pressure to prevent the upper airway tissues from collapsing during sleep.
Types of PAP Devices:
- CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure): The most common PAP device, delivering air at a single, constant pressure.
- Bi-Level PAP: Provides two different pressure levels—higher during inhalation and lower during exhalation. Health insurance usually requires patients to first try and document the ineffectiveness of CPAP therapy before covering a bi-level PAP device.
Additional Options
The Stages of Sleep
For those who suffer from this condition, it is near impossible to go through the full cycle of a restful sleep. There are four stages of sleep, and each one is necessary to achieve a full night’s rest.
The four stages of the sleep cycle are:
- Transition – about 5% of the total cycle.
- Light – about 45% of the cycle.
- Deep – about 25% of the cycle. This is when the body heals itself and many important reparative functions occur. People who don’t enter the deep cycle will be tired the next day.
- REM – Rapid Eye Movement – about 25% of the cycle. This is when most memorable dreams occur. People who don’t complete a full REM cycle tend to complain that they are tired and find it difficult to concentrate.

How is Sleep Apnea Treated?
The quality of your sleep can significantly impact your overall quality of life. Fortunately, those struggling with sleep issues can find help at a sleep clinic, where treatment options are often available without the need for medication.
CPAP Machine Therapy
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the most commonly used treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The CPAP machine delivers a continuous flow of air into the mouth, keeping the airway open and ensuring the body receives the necessary oxygen. However, despite its effectiveness, many people are unable to tolerate CPAP therapy due to the discomfort and invasiveness of wearing the mask at night.
Oral Appliances
A mandibular advancement device is one such oral appliance used in the treatment of sleep apnea. They are worn in the mouth overnight and look like sports mouth guards. Their purpose is to ease the lower jaw forwards with the use of metal or elastic hinges to make breathing easier. Another is a tongue retaining device, which acts as a kind of splint to keep the tongue in place and open the airways
Surgery
Rarely is surgery used to treat OSA. But if needed, nasal surgery may help a patient’s ability to use a CPAP. There is also the option of having a bimaxillary advancement performed. When all else fails, the last option is having a Tracheostomy performed – when a surgeon makes an opening in the front of the neck and inserts a tube into the windpipe to help patients breathe.