Sleep Apnea

What is Involved?

The Process

Initial Consultation

Management of this condition is multi-specialty involving dentists, ear, nose and throat, and sleep disorder doctors.Our dental specialist/ dentist will find out the details of your medical and dental history, perform a consultation and examination and take a digital X-ray of your teeth and jaws to enable a thorough and detailed diagnosis, to ascertain if you have sleep apnea, and to determine the most appropriate form of treatment.

Treatment

Lifestyle modifications

Lifestyle modifications can go a long way in reducing sleep apnea symptoms. Avoidance of alcohol, sleeping pills, and other sedatives can help. These have a tendency to relax throat muscles, contributing to the collapse of the airway at night.

As sleep apnea is inherently worse when you lie down on your back with the face upwards (supine) position for many patients, sleeping on one’s side is often advised. Possibly owing to changes in pulmonary oxygen stores, this position has been found to be helpful for central sleep apnea.

Being overweight can worsen sleep apnea and your doctor may advise you to diet.

Oral appliances

Our dental specialists/ dentists can fabricate an oral appliance called a mandibular advancement splint. This is a custom-made mouthpiece that shifts the lower jaw forward and opens the bite slightly, which opens up the airway. Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is usually successful for those with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. OAT is a relatively new treatment option for sleep apnea in the United States, but it is much more common in Canada and Europe.

Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure (CPAP) Machine & Surgery Treatment

The CPAP machine is suitable for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. This device is a mask-like machine that covers the nose and mouth and provides a constant stream of air that keeps breathing passages open while sleeping. The air pressure prevents apneas and has the additional benefit of reducing or eliminating the snoring that sometimes accompanies sleep apnea.

Several surgical procedures are used to treat sleep apnea, although they are normally a second line of treatment for those who reject CPAP treatment or are not helped by it. Surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea needs to be individualized to address all anatomical areas of obstruction. Often, correction of the nasal passages needs to be performed in addition to correction of the oropharynx passage. Base-of-tongue advancement by means of advancing the genial tubercle of the mandible may help with the lower pharynx. Many other treatments are available, including hyoid bone myotomy and suspension and various radiofrequency ablation. Other surgery options may attempt to shrink or stiffen excess tissue in the mouth or throat.