Sleep Apnea
Get the good night sleep you’ve been longing for
Aside from the impact on your oral health, sleep apnea has tremendous effects on your overall health. Since not enough oxygen is getting into the lungs, respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease can result. These diseases can lead to a stroke or heart attack. We can help comfortably treat your moderate sleep apnea by using a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD), or a customized night guard.
Why choose us for your dental care?
HIGHLY EXPERIENCED & DEDICATED SLEEP APNEA DENTIST
A COMFORTABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TREATING SLEEP APNEA
DIGITAL, STATE-OF-THE-ART DENTAL OFFICE
Sleep Apnea, Canton MA
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is defined as the temporary stoppage of breathing during sleep, often resulting in daytime sleepiness. Apnea is a Greek word that means “want of breath.”
There are three types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), caused by airway obstruction
- Central Sleep Apnea (CSA), which is a neurological condition
- Complex Sleep Apnea, a combination of the two.
OSA is the most common of the three.
How Do I Know If I Have Sleep Apnea?
Snoring is the most common sign of sleep apnea. Your bed partner will most likely let you know of this or you may even wake up gasping for air.
Other signs of sleep apnea occur when you’re awake. Common daytime symptoms include mouth breathing, lack of concentration, decreased performance at school or work, and daytime drowsiness.
What Are The Effects Of Sleep Apnea On My Health?
A recent study released by the AAP showed that lack of sleep ranked just under smoking as the #2 lifestyle factor impacting oral health.
Aside from the impact on your oral health, sleep apnea has tremendous effects on your overall health. Since not enough oxygen is getting into the lungs, respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease can result. These diseases can lead to a stroke or heart attack.
Other effects of sleep apnea can include impotence, menstrual irregularities, enuresis, depression and weight gain.
What Are My Treatment Options For Sleep Apnea?
Severe sleep apnea is normally treated by a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). This consists of an air compressor and mask which delivers pressurized air through the nose when a person is sleeping. The biggest hurdle for using this method is compliance. People feel claustrophobic and others find wearing the mask to be offensive. The strap of the mask worn around the head may even cause headaches. A Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) is meant to increase the airway and works to reduce the risk of sleep apnea and snoring in patients with OSA.
THE CPAP ALTERNATIVE
Many people have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and have CPAP. However, this bulky mask and tube system does not work for everyone. Fortunately for those who have trouble with CPAP, there is an alternative. A custom-made oral appliance can be a tremendous help to people who can’t or don’t want to use CPAP. A customized night guard called the SomnoDent is created for your specific bite and actually positions your jaw in such a way that it opens up your airway. This allows more oxygen to enter your body and prevents or minimizes symptoms of sleep apnea.
With the SomnoDent you’re not restricted to sleeping in only one position and you’re much more likely to use it, which is the main aspect of successful treatment.
Our Dream Smile Dental dentists can help you find the right solution to help with your Sleep Apnea.
How Can I Receive Sleep Apnea Treatment?
It’s easy. Call our office and speak with our sleep apnea dentists and schedule a consultation. The dentist will do some diagnostic tests in the office and then most likely send you home with a sleep monitor the size of a small cell phone which is worn like a wristwatch. This high-tech device will give the dentist the necessary information to determine the level of sleep apnea you suffer from and be able to recommend the ideal treatment option for you.
Sleep Apnea Treatment at Dream Smile Dental
First Appointment: Our dentists will ask you a series of questions about your sleep schedule and medical history. We will then provide you with the sleep test device to take home and use to track your sleep. Once you use the sleep device for one night, you give the sleep test device back to allow our team to review the results. Part of this review may involve sending the test to a Sonologist for an official diagnosis.
Second Appointment: Our dentists will discuss the results and diagnosis from the Sonologist (mild, moderate, severe) with you. This appointment may include a muscle scan, CT scan, jaw tracking, and digital impressions.
What is the muscle test?
The muscle test is neuropathy/neuromuscular which means it is a test relating to nerves and muscles. Your dentist will conduct a muscle test by attaching sensors to the face and a magnet on the chin of the patient. We will then ask them to be comfortable, bite down, chew, and swallow. The purpose for the test is to see the jaws positioning in different states, to see tongue activity, and muscle movements. Goal is to find the one dot of comfortability for the patient and move the jaw starting from that position.
Third Appointment: Our dentists will deliver the device to you and you will go home with your custom-made oral appliance.
Follow-up Appointment: Our dentists will suggest a follow-up appointment to perform the sleep test again in order to provide the doctors with accurate progress. The dentists will look at the comparison between a night of sleep with the Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) versus without by comparing with initial sleep test results.
Your Dream Smile dentist will continue to work with you to individualize your care and provide you with the highest quality of care.
Frequently Asked Questions
The sleep apnea appliance is considered medical treatment and dental insurance will not cover treatment however most medical policies will consider paying for the appliance at a dental office.
As a dental provider, we are contracted with dental policies only. Medical insurances create barriers for dental providers and usually only have medical physicians as participating providers. However, since most medical professionals are not trained in the fabrication and treatment of sleep apnea appliances, medical insurances will usually cover the appliance even though we are not in their network of providers.
If you medical insurance policy is not an HMO plan, we are usually able to obtain benefits from your medical carrier if you meet their guidelines for treatment. We may also be able to request a “network insufficiency” which means if your medical policy does not have any contracted providers for the service, they will provide coverage at the same rate as they would for the in-network provider. If you have an HMO policy, which does not allow members to see a physician out of their network, we may request a “gap waiver”. If approved, this would allow you to be seen out of the HMO network since there are no providers in the network that perform this service.
Medical policies vary depending on the insurance company and plan. They also set forth guidelines as to what a patient’s clinical indications should be for the appliance to be considered under the medical policy. This is called “medical necessity”. At the initial consult, we will evaluate your signs and symptoms to make sure you are a candidate for the treatment and that you meet your insurance policy’s guidelines. At the time of the consultation, we will discuss how your medical insurance policy covers the sleep apnea treatment.
Our office will contract your insurance to obtain all your benefits information and request any waivers if necessary. We will also submit all claims proving medical necessity to your insurance carrier. Our goal is to get the maximum reimbursement from your plan.
I’ve been coming here for a year now and definitely a place I’d recommend. Venessa was my assistant today, she had great communication and took care of my braces for me well.
Stacey is a gem, Sandy by her side equally as valuable to the practice. The whole team is pleasant and professional.
Having been a patient at Dream Smile Dental since their practice began some 25+ years ago, my own smile continues proudly. Everyone contributes to providing a welcoming and pleasant experience. The level of care is excellent.