SLEEP HEALTH

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A HEALTHY NIGHT SLEEP IS A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP!

A restful, good night’s sleep is crucial to your health. Chronic snoring problems and interrupted sleep aren’t just an inconvenience but it can be a sign of more serious problems that will negatively affect your health.

Did you know that untreated sleep apnea can take 10-15 years off your life?

It is not confined just to adults. Children can have sleep issues that are sometimes misdiagnosed as ADHD. Early diagnosis is crucial.

Because of our commitment to help our patients with their overall general health, we have received extensive training in screening, testing, and then treating this condition. Getting treatment is crucial, but the most common treatment, a CPAP, has a poor track record of compliance. In many cases, we can make a customized, state of the art dental device that is more comfortable than CPAP’s and very effective in treating this condition.

SLEEP APNEA

Common Symptoms
Frequent,
loud snoring
Excessive
daytime
sleepiness
Chronic
exhaustion
even after a
full night’s
sleep
Gasping,
choking or
snorting
during sleep
Morning
headaches
High
blood pressure
Poor memory,
moodiness or
difficulty
concentrating
Waking up
with a dry
mouth or sore
throat
  • STEP 1 : SCREENING
  • STEP 2 : TESTING
  • STEP 3 : TREATMENT
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Are you at risk based on the above symptoms? If so, you should get a thorough evaluation to see if you may have this serious health problem. Our screening begins with a Sleep Assessment Test and a clinical examination and consultation with our doctors. Once this is done, we can determine the next steps based on the information collected. This will probably include consultation with your medical doctor or a sleep physician.

In the Fall of 2017 the American Dental Association began recommending that dentists screen for Sleep Apnea. We began this process in our office in 2016 as we recognized the impact that the sleep breathing problems can have on the health of our patients.

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A sleep test is the next step to determine if you have sleep apnea or other sleep conditions. There are two ways to accomplish this:

  1. Sleep Center Test
  2. Sleep Center Test

These are usually done in conjunction with a sleep physician and we work in tandem with them to determine the best course of action based on the test results. The test will provide some key information:

  1. AHI Index
  2. Oxygen saturation
  3. Snoring evaluation
  4. Position while sleeping
  5. Sleep staging. Including the time spent in REM sleep
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Based on the test results, a determination is made in conjunction with you as to the best course of treatment.

 Which one would you choose if you had the choice?

While CPAP are very effective, the compliance is poor with over 50% of patients not using them after 12 months. The oral appliance gently helps open the airways and prevents it from collapsing while you sleep reducing the snoring and the severity of the sleep apnea.

COME SHOW US YOUR SMILE

The perfect smile is the one that makes you happy, the one that gives you confidence, and one you want to share with others. Whether you are a long time patient or potentially new to our practice, come share your story and smile with us, and let's make sure you have the smile you have always wanted.