Sleep Apnea

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that causes breathing to stop repeatedly during the night, causing loud snoring. If untreated, it can lead to serious health problems. There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Of the three, obstructive is the most common. Despite the difference in the root causes of each type, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep. This can sometimes occur hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer.

Sleep quality control

Dr. Salyani is part of a collaborative team consisting of sleep physicians, sleep techs, sleep centers, ENT physicians and pulmonologists who all combine their expertise where needed to maximally manage obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. The use of medically approved oral appliances is critical to getting your sleep apnea under control. The oral appliances can be used, at times, when CPAP or other positive pressure devices are not tolerated well by the patient. Oral appliances also can be used when it is inconvenient to travel with a CPAP. We see patients who have not been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and we can coordinate the appropriate diagnosis with qualified physicians. We also see patients who are referred by sleep doctors for the specific creation of getting a custom-fitted oral sleep appliance. Additionally, we see patients who are not able to use their CPAP and, essentially, are going untreated. Dr. Salyani believes in co-therapy whereby the use of a properly titrated oral appliance can be used in conjunction with a much-reduced pressure setting for CPAP, making it tolerable for patients once again.

What Dangers does Sleep Apnea Pose to My Overall Health?

Sleep apnea interrupts the body’s ability to repair itself during sleep, and can ultimately lead to the development of other health problems, including:

• Increased risk of sudden cardiac death during sleep
• Congestive heart failure
• Increased risk of cardiac failure, heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening health conditions
• Mental impairment of cognitive functions such as memory and complex, rational thought
• Anxiety, depression, stress, and mood swings
• High blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity
• Less motor control
• Less alertness
• Increased risk of erectile dysfunction

What age groups and who is affected by sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is very common, as common as adult diabetes, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty. However, sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority of sufferers remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant, and deadly consequences.

How do dentists treat sleep apnea?

The use of medically-approved oral appliances often are critical to the best control of sleep apnea. The oral appliances can be used, at times, when CPAP or other positive pressure devices are not tolerated well by the patient. Did you know that over 60% of patients don’t use their CPAP machine? Oral appliances also can be used when it is inconvenient to travel with a CPAP. We see patients who have not been diagnosed for sleep apnea, and we can coordinate appropriate diagnosis with qualified physicians. We also see patients who are referred by sleep doctors for the specific creation of a custom fitted oral sleep appliance. Additionally, we see patients who are not able to use their CPAP and, essentially, are going untreated. Dr. Salyani believes in co-therapy whereby the use of a properly titrated oral appliance can be used in conjunction with a much-reduced pressure setting for CPAP, making it tolerable for patients once again.

How do I find out if oral appliance therapy (oat) can help me?

A thorough intake consultation, clinical exam and history review will determine the likelihood of sleep apnea. Dr. Salyani may administer an “ambulatory” or take home sleep study to gather important data to further understand the scope and severity of the sleep disturbance. At this point, if a prior PSG (polysomnograph) administered by a certified sleep center and interpreted by a sleep physician has been completed, then Dr. Salyani can commence fabrication of an oral sleep appliance.

Alternatively, if no PSG has been completed, Dr. Salyani will require referral to a sleep center for completion of a PSG and physician interpretation before oral appliance therapy begins. It is critical to carefully and thoroughly manage this deadly disease with a team approach.

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