Sleep Apnea and Other Sleep Disorders
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by having one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep. These pauses in breathing, called an apnea, can occur in both adults and children, and can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times an hour.
Narcolepsy is another sleep disorder which is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, in which a person experiences extreme fatigue and falls asleep at inappropriate times.
The most common sleep disorder is snoring, which is a loud breathing noise caused by vibrations of the soft palette. Conditions such as asthma, allergies and cigarette smoke in the environment can cause snoring in both adults and children, as they induce irritation of the upper respiratory tract.
Patients with trouble sleeping may also experience nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking and sleep talking.
How are sleep disorders diagnosed?
After evaluating a specialized Health Questionnaire, which we provide on your initial visit, we will do breathing tests, using the best of today’s technology to assess your condition. Based on the results, Dr. Ong will recommend the treatment that is best for you.
A common indicator that a patient suffers from sleep apnea, snoring, or other sleep disorders, is a neck diameter of lager than 16” for females and 17” for males.
A child’s jaw development can also be affect by bruxism which is the grinding of the teeth, or by tongue tie, which we can evaluate with a simple laser procedure.
How can my dentist help with sleep disorders?
To help a patient with an ailment like snoring, we evaluate their airways, including the adenoids, tonsils, and open- or closed-bite skeletal problems. After this evaluation, we can use a breathing appliance which will open your airway and at the same time, reposition your tongue so that it points forward, thus aiding your breathing. This is an inexpensive non-surgical approach to helping a patient with sleep disorders, which can be tried before other methods are administered. To see how effective this breathing device has been, we monitor your results with a test and screening after the procedure.
What is the significance of not having a sleep disorder treated?
Not treating sleep disorders can lead to many other aliments in a patient’s lifestyle. Particularly, in children, studies show that children who snore go on to develop sleep apnea, and can develop restlessness, aggressive behavior, excessive daytime sleepiness and school problems as a result. The same problems can occur in adults with sleep disorders that go untreated, and can be linked to diabetes, Alzheimer’s, atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, lack of energy which can lead to obesity and depression, and in extreme cases, decreasing a patient’s life span anywhere from 8-10 years.
Does my insurance cover sleep disorders?
Some insurances do cover the treatment of sleep disorders, whereas others do not. We will assist you in billing your insurance or MediCare.