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Do you snore?
Do you wake up tired in the morning?
Do you have high blood pressure?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions you could suffer from Sleep Disorder Breathing.
Sleep disorder breathing (SDB) affects one-third of the US population. It manifests itself in a myriad of ways- ranging in severity from snoring to a potentially fatal disorder called obstructive sleep apnea and encompasses everything in between.
Snoring and sleep apnea have been associated with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, depression, family discord, sexual dysfunction, obesity and even death.
Currently, options for treatment are invasive, painful, costly, and generally not successful. One-hundred percent of patients complaining of a sleep breathing disorder are first placed on CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure), a cumbersome machine that forces air into the nasal passages and down the throat during sleep. Physical side effects include laceration of the bridge of the nose due to the mask, rawness of the throat and bloating of the stomach. Social side effects include patient embarrassment and his bed partner's lack of acceptance of the device. More than half abandon it after the first 3 months. More than half of those still using the CPAP abandon it soon after.
The majority of patients become frustrated and elect to have surgery-what they feel is the quickest fix. The American Academy of Sleep Disorders does not deem any surgical procedures efficacious. (Kind estimates say surgery is 30% to 50% effective.) The possibility of re-growth of tissue or the resulting change in the physiology of the mouth is very great.
Sleep Disorders Dentistry is answer to your sleeping problem-a revolutionary dental field concentrating on the reduction of patients' respiratory distress due to sleep disorder breathing by way of oral appliances.
It's quick and completely painless.
Whether it is snoring, sleep apnea or any of the breathing problems in between-correcting your sleep breathing disorder will improve your health and well-being.
Our office now has all the tools necessary to alleviate your suffering. We have received extensive and accredited training* on the Eccovisionã, a suite of diagnostic equipment intended to assess the patient's airway.
Through a technique called 'acoustic reflection' we can map its circumference and problem areas, pinpointing what's causing your problem.
We perform two tests-rhinometry and pharyngometry. Rhinometry allows us to make sure your nasal passages are healthy-and that your sleep breathing disorder isn't caused by an anatomic problem in the nose. If that is the case, we can refer you to an ear nose and throat specialist. If the nasal passages are clear and we rule out obstruction, we then can then do a pharyngometer scan, a test that maps your throat in four different positions. We take record of your airway patency during the day and then simulate what it looks like during the night-you don't even have to lay down. From there we can discern the severity of your sleep disorder breathing problem.
Sleep Disorders Dentistry enters the picture if we find a problem. We treat you using an FDA certified oral appliance. We can fit and titrate an oral appliance right in our office. Its purpose? To make sure your airway stays in optimal breathing position while you sleep. The good news is that you only have to wear it at night.
If you aren't sleeping well, and you think oral appliance therapy might be right for you, please don't hesitate to give us a call.
We'd be glad to schedule an appointment with you or answer any further questions you might have.
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