Dental Sleep Medicine

Sleep Apnea Patient Registration

An Airway Dilator often called an "Oral Appliance," is a conservative and often successful alternative for patients who snore, who have mild to moderate apnea, who have apena but cannot tolerate CPAP, or who have found either CPAP or surgery to be unsuccessful.

HOW AIRWAY DILATOR THERAPY WORKS

One form of conservative treatment for snoring/apnea involves wearing a dental appliance during sleep. Appliances are light and easy to wear. Its purpose is to move the lower jaw forward and downward, causing a positive change in jaw and/or tongue position, which opens the airway. An appliance worn during sleep helps keep the airway from collapsing, ensuring an open airway.

Because the lower jaw moves in multiple directions (vertically, anteriorly, posteriorly, laterally, and with rotation), it is important to establish the best position of the jaw to increase the size of the airway. Once this is determined, we make full mouth impressions so that a laboratory can fabricate the custom-made, FDA-approved airway dilator appliance that is right for you.

DIAGNOSIS

As a specially trained dentist, Dr. Van der Werff will work with your physician to create an individual treatment plan that addresses your medical and lifestyle needs. We perform an intra-oral exam to determine if you are a good candidate for an oral appliance. Along with a complete medical and dental history, the exam may also include:

Oral Appliances can be an effective supplement or the total answer to snoring or sleep apnea.

• -A screening questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale
• -Intra-oral habit assessment
• -Cranial assessment
• -An evaluation of periodontal health
• -Diagnostic models
• -Orthopedic head & neck exam
• -TMJ disorder/occlusal exam
• -Specialized radiographic images used to evaluate the TMJ and airway.

CPAP:

While CPAP provides successful treatment, the biggest hurdle is compliance. Many patients feel claustrophobic and others find wearing the mask to be offensive. The strap of the mask work around the head may even cause headaches. An intra-oral appliance may be a more comfortable alternative to CPAP.

SURGERY:

Except where abnormalities are present, (nasal polyps, enlarged tonsils, deviated septum, or jaw malformations) UPPP surgery is only effective in 50% of the cases. Other forms of surgery include advancing the upper and/or lower jaws or a tracheostomy. These forms of surgery are invasive and irreversible. An intra-oral appliance is non-invasive, effective, reversible, and has fewer side effects.

More Info:

For more information on Dental Sleep Medicine, please Visit:
The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine at: http://www.aadsm.org