Sleep Apnea: How We Can Help

Many patients who suspect they or a loved one have sleep apnea go straight to their primary care physician. While analysis and collaboration with your medical care provider are important, you can also seek diagnosis and treatment from our dentist.

In the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, our dental office is helpful in providing care that is convenient and effective.

Easy, At-Home Diagnosis

In traditional treatment processes, patients visit a specialist to have their sleeping patterns monitored. While this provides necessary sleep data, it disrupts your normal routine and requires that you spend an evening trying to fall asleep in a clinical testing facility.

Our dental office provides technology that allows you to skip the overnight stay at an outside sleep study office and rest in your own bed. This equipment collects the same necessary data as an outside sleep study, helping to determine factors that include oxygen levels in blood. Once this information has been gathered, it is sent to a sleep specialist for analysis to determine causes of sleep apnea and severity of the condition.

Comfortable Appliances

As dental professionals, Drs. Steven and Michelle Okamoto are skilled in producing oral appliances which treat conditions that manifest in the mouth or damage teeth and soft tissue. In cases of obstructive sleep apnea, these appliances create an easy flow of air and unobstructed breathing. In comparison with a CPAP machine that pushes air into and through a patient’s throat, an oral appliance makes it easier for you to breathe on your own by subtly shifting jaw position.

Our dentists have a deep understanding of the effect jaw position and bite balance play into multiple dental problems, such as teeth grinding and uneven wear and tear. Our dentists also understand what causes soft tissue collapse at the back of the throat which closes airways and contributes to sleep apnea symptoms.

For obstructive sleep apnea patients, impressions are taken of their bite alignment and sent to a laboratory for the fabrication of a customized dental appliance. We then provide education and information that allows patients to achieve the best results with this treatment method.

Ask our Dentists about Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment

If you are experiencing extreme daytime fatigue and troubling focusing, you could be affected by lack of quality sleep caused by breathing issues. For diagnosis, contact Drs. Okamoto today to learn more about how our team can help.

Sleep Apnea: Which Appliance with Provide Relief for You?

Sleep apnea is a condition with two potential causes; your sleep-disordered breathing is either a result of soft tissue collapse at the back of your throat, or interruption of communication signals between your brain and body.  Effective treatments for sleep apnea are entirely dependent upon your diagnosis. Consider the following about your needs:

Central Sleep Apnea – CPAP Machine

As central sleep apnea does not involve any physical blockages of airways, CPAP machines are often the most beneficial appliances for treatment.  Even if your brain cannot tell your body to breathe rhythmically while sleeping, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure technology moves air through passageways to ensure deep sleep and prevent snoring. While CPAP is bulky, and utilizes a face mask with adjustable straps to keep it in place, it is the most predictable way to promote positive airflow for CSA sufferers.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea – Oral Appliance Therapy

Because this form of the condition is caused by soft tissues covering airways, solutions are more flexible. Soft tissue blockages can be moved out of the way through the forced air method utilized with CPAP, but many patients with OSA choose a dental night guard or oral appliance for better breathing. These devices reposition your jaw, moving the bottom arch forward slightly, which prevents the closure of breathing passages. Oral appliance therapy is comfortable, as patients can have their night guards custom fitted. There is also less equipment overall with the oral appliance and patient report easier adjustment to this form of treatment, improving compliance rates.

Complex Sleep Apnea Diagnosis

In some cases, a single treatment may not provide the relief the patient is looking for. For instances of complex sleep apnea, CPAP can be used in conjunction with a dental appliance. The appliance keeps airways open and CPAP moves air through the nose and throat. This comprehensive way to treat sleep apnea proves effective for patients dealing with multiple problems that prevent successful sleep breathing.

Ask our Sleep Apnea Dentist How He Can Help

Dr. Okamoto provides both sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment for sleep disordered breathing at his Torrance dental office. If you have questions about which treatment will work best for you, contact our office for a consultation. Part of your treatment includes at-home sleep monitoring, so there are no additional visits to a sleep study program.