Screening for Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is happening across America at epidemic proportions. Sleep apnea is a condition which can be: at best very frustrating for the person you share a bed with and at worst fatal! Awareness is growing about the dangers of sleep apnea. Essentially, it is a condition where your throat becomes closed off when you sleep, which prevents air from getting to your lungs. Your body becomes depleted of oxygen until it sends a warning signal to the rest of your body. Finally and abruptly, you will gasp for air. This can happen hundreds of times per night. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks and strokes are just a few of the conditions directly related to sleep apnea. While dentists do not diagnose patients with sleep apnea, no other healthcare provider looks in the mouth more than dentists! We are able to see signs that this process might be occurring. If so, we will refer you to the proper physician to begin getting you treated in the appropriate ways. Take the STOP-BANG survey.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment
Besides screening for sleep apnea, Dr Weber is also able to treat it. A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device has long been the standard care for treating sleep apnea, and it does an amazing job…. when it is worn! Insurance companies have been increasingly strict about monitoring patients on their CPAPs, and if you don’t comply, they will confiscate your device. A mandibular advancement device is something that goes in your mouth and brings your lower jaw forward. This allows your airway to stay open all night and get proper oxygen. Mandibular advancement devices are often covered by your medical insurance and once you own it, it is yours to keep! Also, they are much easier to travel with. Due to relatively low compliance, some insurance companies are starting to treat mandibular advancement devices as a first line of treatment. Mandibular advancement devices work best for mild and moderate sleep apnea.