Find Relief With Comprehensive Sleep Apnea Treatment

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic disorder, and effective long-term treatment is necessary to prevent related health risks. The standard of care in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which is highly effective. Despite this, CPAP has well-documented limitations, with diminishing patient acceptance and compliance.

Hence, oral appliances are the best alternative to PAP, and patients often report preferring oral appliances to positive air pressure treatment, with better acceptance and compliance, irrespective of the level of severity of their apnea.

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Understanding the Importance of Treatment

Sleep-related breathing disorders can have life-altering effects on one’s health. The side effects may cause an increase in blood pressure, loss of cognitive thinking and concentration during daily tasks, and falling asleep during the day, while at work, or even behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. The aforementioned can collectively affect the patient’s overall quality of life.

Oral Appliance Therapy

Oral appliance therapy is simple, effective, and comfortable. To design an effective oral appliance that meets your needs, our experts, in collaboration with your sleep specialist, will carefully analyze the information obtained during your sleep study. Your dental sleep practitioner will then take impressions of your teeth to ensure a customized and precise fit.

Oral appliance therapy is simple, effective, and comfortable.

A custom-fabricated oral appliance fits like a sports mouth guard or an orthodontic retainer. It supports the lower jaw in a forward position to help maintain an open upper airway during sleep. Research shows that oral appliance therapy is an effective treatment option for snoring and all levels of severity of obstructive sleep apnea. This can lead to a better quality of sleep and restore the level of alertness during wakeful hours. Oral appliance therapy is effective, non-invasive, easy to wear, and convenient to travel. The treatment fits easily into patients' everyday lifestyles.

Screening and Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea

Sleep Studies Are the Best Way to Diagnose Sleep related disorders

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which the airway becomes partially or totally blocked multiple times during sleep, and results in interrupted or obstructed breathing. One of the most common symptoms of obstructed sleep apnea is loud snoring and/or gasping during sleep. If you are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, you may also experience restless sleep due to waking up frequently throughout the night, as well as severe daytime fatigue. This can not only make you feel tired but can also result in changes in mood cognition and behavior, as well as your overall health.

During a sleep study, the monitor will record your heart rate, oxygen levels, blood pressure, and other factors throughout the night.

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Initial Screening

During the screening process, one of our team of sleep experts will provide a thorough screening of your medical history, as well as your sleep habits. We will also review risk factors that could lead to the development of sleep-related breathing disorders.

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What Happens During a Sleep Study?

A sleep study conducted by a sleep physician is the best way to properly diagnose sleep apnea. These studies are conducted at a monitored facility or at home and are required for proper diagnosis.

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How a Sleep Study Leads to Diagnosis

Your sleep physician will analyze all the data gathered during the study. In this way, your sleep study could lead to a diagnosis of sleep apnea or another sleep disorder. In either case, your doctor will recommend an appropriate treatment modality. When appropriate, the sleep physician will prescribe oral appliance therapy and refer the patient back to a board certified dental sleep experts. This simple, effective device is worn during sleep and is custom-fabricated for a comfortable fit. The appliance works by keeping your airway open as you sleep, preventing or minimizing the obstruction that causes interruptions in breathing.

Understanding the Relationship Between Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Some people are chronic snorers due to excess tissue in the throat or nasal passages. Others may experience snoring intermittently with seasonal allergies, colds, or other illnesses. Sleep apnea, however, results in frequent periods of interrupted breathing throughout the night.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep-related breathing disorder and is caused by a collapse of the soft tissues and upper airway muscles.

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Are You at Risk?

Sleep apnea can affect patients of all ages. While the condition is most common in males over the age of 40, it can also affect women and children. Because weight seems to play a significant role in our risk of developing sleep apnea, some researchers have speculated that childhood obesity may be linked to the rise of pediatric sleep apnea.

If you do not have sleep apnea but still want a solution for snoring, simple treatment can provide relief.

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Treatment Options for Snoring and OSA

Our team of dental sleep experts conduct the same thorough screening process for adult patients as their pediatric patients and can refer patients to local physicians for a diagnosis. Fortunately, there are a number of treatment options available for snoring and OSA. If you do not have sleep apnea but still want a solution for snoring, a customized oral appliance can provide relief. If sinuses or allergies are contributing to the problem, we can provide a referral to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist.

If you have OSA, we may also recommend the same type of oral appliance therapy. This custom-made appliance fits over the teeth similarly to a night guard or retainer and is worn during sleep. The device slightly moves the lower jaw forward, which helps keep the airway clear as you sleep.

What Are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea results in interruptions in breathing that can last for several seconds or more. This cycle can occur multiple times each night and results in low-quality, fragmented sleep. In addition to these symptoms, you may also experience a lack of concentration, chronic headaches throughout the day, and changes in your mood or behavior.

Symptoms of sleep apnea may include interrupted sleep, daytime fatigue, teeth grinding during sleep, and snoring.

Snoring

When the airway becomes partially blocked, it can result in increased resistance to airflow, which causes loud snoring. This often leads to disrupted sleep for your spouse or bed partner, which can strain relationships over time. If anyone has complained about how loud your snoring is, you should consider coming to our office for a screening. Not all patients who suffer from chronic snoring have OSA, so it is best to get a proper diagnosis to know for sure.

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Daytime Fatigue

Daytime fatigue is a direct result of interrupted, fragmented sleep. Patients with sleep apnea often feel sluggish throughout the day and lack the motivation to complete basic daily activities. You may also experience an inability to focus at work or in school. Not only can daytime fatigue hinder your performance in those areas, but it can also be dangerous if you spend a large amount of time driving or commuting throughout the day. This can be particularly important for heavy machinery operators, commercially licensed drivers, airplane pilots, and individuals in similar fields.

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Learn More About Your Symptoms

If you are experiencing symptoms that may indicate sleep apnea, contact Advanced Dental Sleep Medicine online or call (844) 557-1701 today to schedule your initial screening with Dr. Reza Radmand. He can then refer you to a sleep doctor for a diagnosis and provide you with an oral appliance to alleviate your symptoms.

The Effects of Sleep Apnea on the Transportation Industry

The repercussions of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can extend beyond daytime fatigue, taking a serious toll on your job performance. Sleep deprivation decreases your ability to remain alert, aware, and responsive, which is especially dangerous for heavy machinery operators, commercially licensed truck drivers, airplane pilots, and other members of the transportation industry. To ensure your safety and the safety of those around you, it is important to understand the effects of obstructive sleep apnea and seek timely treatment.

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Impact on Health and Safety

OSA, which is estimated to affect nearly 22 million Americans,1 has been linked to several serious health conditions, including high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, heart diseases, depression, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. Among children, sleep apnea can result in development, cognition, and behavioral problems.2 While sleep apnea can severely impact your personal health, it can also have far-reaching consequences for those you work with.

For patients who are rail and truck operators, feeling drowsy can lead to horrific accidents, presenting a hazard to public safety. It has been reported that nearly 20% of the major accidents2 investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board between 2001 and 2012 found fatigue as a probable cause or contributing factor. Each year, drowsiness leads to 6,400 fatal car crashes3 in the U.S.

Apart from the physical perils of untreated OSA, there is also an extensive financial cost. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the economic impact of motor vehicle accidents in 2015, where undiagnosed OSA was a contributing factor, was estimated to be $26.2 billion.3

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Innovative Solutions

As an option for treatment for patients to achieve sound sleep and, in turn, optimal work performance, we offer customized oral appliance therapy.

Usually, sleep apnea patients are prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device by their sleep physicians as the first line of therapy. This system requires patients to place a mask over their nose or full face while they sleep, which is then attached to a bedside air pump. Many patients find this setup to be bulky and uncomfortable, especially if they suffer from claustrophobia, hence reducing compliance to this method of treatment.

Oral appliance therapy is a non-invasive, convenient, and more comfortable alternative to the CPAP system. While you are sleeping, this device gently moves your lower jaw forward to expand the airway passage and reduce interrupted breathing.

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Why Choose Our Facility?

At Advanced Dental Sleep Medicine, Dr. Radmand has extensive experience providing effective treatment for sleep-related breathing disorders, including snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Our patients are often referred to us by medical institutions such as Yale New Haven Hospital and its affiliates, as well as the sleep specialists in the region who trust their patients to our expert team. When you visit our centers, you can rest assured that you will receive the highest quality care and personalized services.

Protect the Safety of Others

If you work in the transportation industry, it is imperative to seek treatment for sleep apnea to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you. If you would like to learn more about the effects of sleep apnea and how you can benefit from oral appliance therapy, call us at (617) 307-1183 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.

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Sleep Apnea and Alzheimer's

Understanding the Relationship Between Sleep Apnea and Alzheimer's Disease

Patients with untreated sleep apnea suffer from disrupted sleep, which can severely impact many aspects of their lives. In fact, recent studies have found a relationship between sleep disturbances such as sleep apnea and Alzheimer's.1

Sleep is a vital factor in the healthy functioning of the body and mind. When the brain is unable to complete normal maintenance during sleep, certain toxic materials remain that can contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Improving your sleeping habits could help slow or even prevent the development of dementia.

Sleep is a vital factor in the healthy functioning of the body and mind.

What Is Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease?

Dementia classifies a group of brain-related diseases that severely affect cognitive abilities and memory function. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. The progressive brain disorder is characterized by amyloid plaques (sticky buildup surrounding nerve cells), loss of connections between nerve cells, and tangled bundles of fiber known as tau. Common effects of this disease include:

  • Memory loss
  • Language problems
  • Confusion
  • Loss of control of bodily functions
  • Frequent mood swings
  • Hallucinations
  • Unpredictable behavior
  • Difficulty sleeping

While these effects may be less obvious in the early stages, as the condition develops, symptoms will become more severe and start to cause problems performing daily activities.

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Why Is Sleep Vital to Healthy Brain Function?

Lack of sleep can significantly impact cognitive function.2 Conditions such as sleep apnea regularly disrupt sleep, which prevents the body from performing vital functions like consolidating memories. Patients with sleep-related breathing disorders often exhibit signs of brain cell damage and inflammation,3 which can lead to memory loss.

Researchers are finding that insufficient sleep appears to contribute to the buildup of tau proteins.4 Additionally, the inability to rest at night often leads to daytime sleepiness, further straining brain health. If you are receiving the appropriate amount of sleep, the brain can clean out these toxic materials, including amyloid plaques.

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Reducing Your Risk

Individuals who have suffered from sleep apnea for an extended period of time most likely have not maintained a healthy sleep schedule. However, by effectively treating your sleep apnea, you may be able to reduce your risk of dementia.