Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while sleeping. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep. Snoring, the sounds made when sleeping, is a separate sleep disorder often associated with sleep apnea. The consequences of these sleep disorders if left untreated include cardiovascular disease, heart failure, stroke, high blood pressure and premature death.
Accurate diagnosis of your precise sleep disorder is necessary prior to personalized prescription of any dental appliance for the treatment of sleep apnea. This process begins with an overnight sleep study (polysomnography) performed under the direction of a sleep physician who will discuss the findings with you and make appropriate treatment recommendations, which may include a dental appliance.
Dr. Simmons’ evaluation incorporates echo pharyngometry, a non-invasive and easy method to evaluate airway dimensions; along with jaw muscle electromyography and computerized bite recording to reduce possible adverse impacts of the dental appliance on the jaw muscles and TM joints. These procedures allow fabrication of the most comfortable and effective dental sleep appliances currently available.
Patients are more likely to avoid the risks associated with Oral Sleep Appliances due to Dr. Simmons extensive education and experience in treating Sleep Apnea and TMJ.
Common risks of Sleep Apnea appliances include:
- Jaw muscle pain
- Jaw joint pain & dysfunction
- Neck pain
- Inadvertent tooth movement
- Changes in bite
For more information on Sleep Apnea or to schedule an exam, call 206-682-3399 or Click Here.
