Dental Sleep

Dental sleep is a new field of Dentistry diagnosing and treating patients with a common condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This is a condition in which a person stops breathing for short periods during sleep due to the collapsing of the tongue closing the air passage at the back of the throat. Medical studies have shown that disordered sleeping patterns due to repetitive episodes of partial or complete airway obstruction resulted in sleep fragmentation, reduced blood oxygen levels, excessive daytime somnolence, cognitive deficits, impaired psychosocial well-being, reduced car driving competence, cardiovascular disease and stroke. This is a chronic medical condition that often goes undiagnosed.

Recent advances in technology and the simplification of data interpretation makes general practice the ideal first venue for early diagnosis and treatment.

The following are some interesting statistics about the disturbed sleeping patterns affecting Americans:

  • 90 million Americans snore
  • 60% of all Americans over the age of 40 snore
  • 27% of American couples sleep separately due to one partner snoring
  • Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea is estimated to add at least $3.4 billion to the nation’s health costs

Our specially trained dentists can screen and identify patients with sleep breathing disorders in our dental practices and refer to physicians in our community for diagnosis and treatment. We work with a multidisciplinary team to manage your chronic medical condition. Our team is knowledgeable on how to evaluate the airway, take the important records using acoustic Pharynogometry / Rhinometry and if oral appliances are recommended, to assess the functionality of the fabricated oral appliances on the airway.

Specially fabricated oral appliances made by your dentist can significantly improve nocturnal respiratory function and quality of sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, thereby significantly improving the quality of life for our patients.

 

Schedule a Consultation

If you or your family members suffer from any of the symptoms listed, or for more information on how you can benefit, give us a call at (310) 458-4000. We look forward to speaking with you and answering any questions you may have.