Sleep Apnea Treatment- Westhampton, NY
Stop Snoring & Get Back Your Mornings
Absolutely everyone needs to get enough sleep every night in order to maintain their mental and physical health, but problems like snoring and sleep apnea make this impossible for millions of Americans. If your days are filled with exhaustion because of either of these issues, Beach Dental is ready to offer you a simple but effective solution. Using a custom-made mouthguard, you can finally wake up in the morning full of energy, ready to take on the day.
Why Choose Beach Dental for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
- Sleep appliances custom-made for every patient
- Able to stop even persistent snoring
- Viable alternative to CPAP therapy
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea affects about 22 million Americans overall, but the condition is still unfamiliar to most people, even for some who are struggling with it! People with sleep apnea experience brief but frequent lapses in breathing during the night, which fractures the sleep cycle over and over again. It prevents someone from getting the quality rest they need, plus it puts a lot of stress on the body and mind, which can negatively affect overall health. For most, this occurs because the soft tissues in the mouth and throat over-relax and block the airway, which is actually called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Common Sleep Apnea Symptoms
- Loud, persistent snoring
- Chronic daytime exhaustion despite the amount of sleep
- Hypertension
- Mood swings/depression
- Morning headaches/sore throats
- Waking up throughout the night gasping for breath
- Weight gain
Why Choose Beach Dental for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
1. Expertise in Sleep Apnea: Dr. Jason Parli and Dr. Alexis Gersten have extensive experience in diagnosing and treating sleep apnea. We stay updated with the latest advancements in sleep medicine to provide you with the most effective solutions.
2. Customized Treatment Plans: We understand that each patient is unique, and so is their sleep apnea condition. Our team takes a personalized approach to develop tailored treatment plans that address your specific needs and concerns.
3. Non-Invasive Oral Appliance Therapy: Unlike traditional sleep apnea treatments, we offer non-invasive oral appliance therapy. These custom-made devices are designed to comfortably fit in your mouth, promoting proper airflow and reducing snoring and sleep disruptions.
4. Collaborative Care: Dr. Jason Parli and Dr. Alexis Gersten believe in a multidisciplinary approach to sleep apnea treatment. We collaborate with sleep physicians and specialists to ensure comprehensive care and optimize your treatment outcomes.
5. Improved Quality of Life: By effectively managing your sleep apnea, our goal is to improve your overall quality of life. Better sleep can enhance your energy levels, mental clarity, and overall health, leading to a happier, more productive life.
How We Can Help
The most commonly prescribed treatment for sleep apnea is CPAP therapy, in which a patient literally wears a mask connected to an air pump that keeps the airway open by continually forcing oxygen down the throat. While effective, many patients find this extremely uncomfortable. However, there is an alternative we can provide here at Beach Dental called oral appliance therapy.
With this approach, a patient simply wears a custom-made mouthpiece to bed every night. It slightly adjusts the lower jaw forward, and this prevents the airway from collapsing. It can help patients overcome sleep apnea symptoms, and this type of appliance can even help someone stop snoring almost immediately.
How to Get a Sleep Appliance
If you just want a sleep appliance to stop snoring, then we can provide one for you no problem. However, if you’re interested in one for sleep apnea treatment, you’ll need to get a prescription from a doctor first. Whether you’ve already been diagnosed with the condition or not, just give Beach Dental a call, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to do so we can help you. We’ll make the process nice and easy from beginning to end.
Ready to start getting the rest you deserve? Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help.
Sleep Apnea FAQs
If you have questions about sleep apnea, you’re far from being alone. We are happy to address your concerns and questions and work with your physician. For your own edification, we’ve responded to some common questions about treating sleep apnea below. If you think you could have sleep apnea or if you have already been diagnosed with sleep apnea and would like to explore your treatment options with us, reach out to our office!
Who Is Most At Risk for Sleep Apnea?
Although sleep apnea can affect almost anyone for various reasons, it is most likely to impact those who are the following:
- Men
- Overweight or obese
- Older (60 years old and up)
- Pregnant women
- Post-menopausal women
How Long Are Apnea Events or Episodes?
An apnea event is the time when you aren’t taking breaths. Each one usually lasts 10 seconds or longer, but you can go up to 2 minutes. For each hour of sleep, you could experience between 5 and 30 apnea events, disrupting your sleep! Those who have mild cases typically have 0-15 apnea events per hour, but 30 times or more per hour is considered severe. A sleep test, sometimes called a study, will reveal not just whether you have sleep apnea but also how advanced your case is and how many episodes you have per night.
What Is the Process of Starting Sleep Apnea Treatment?
As with treating any condition, you have to start with a proper diagnosis. Smart watches may monitor your heart rate while you sleep, but they provide insufficient information for you to pinpoint sleep apnea as the cause on your own. Although we can screen you for obstructive sleep apnea, you will need to undergo a sleep study with a specialist to be officially diagnosed. Afterward, we can work with your sleep physician to determine whether an oral appliance could be the best solution for you.
How Soon After Starting Treatment Should I Notice Improvement?
Compared to the time it takes to adjust to CPAP therapy, getting used to wearing an oral appliance is relatively quick. It may require a day or two to become acclimated to the appliance, but otherwise, you should experience better rest basically right away. Your sleep doctor will likely do another test to make sure it’s working, but if you have fewer or less severe symptoms, it’s a good sign!
What Are the Risks of Untreated Sleep Apnea?
If you have sleep apnea, you should carefully consider its potential effects on your health, well-being, and relationships. By itself, being drowsy can put your life as well as others in danger when you sit behind the wheel of a car or other machinery. In addition to causing fatigue and mood swings, sleep apnea is known to impair mental focus and memory. It also has been shown to increase sexual dysfunction and the odds of higher blood pressure, which raises your risk of a cardiovascular event like a stroke or heart attack.
Is Sleep Apnea Treatment Covered by Insurance?
In general, sleep apnea therapy is not a covered service with dental insurance, but there are some medical insurance plans that include sleep apnea testing and treatment. We, as well as your sleep doctor, can look at your medical policy to see if it will pay part of the overall cost.
Will a Sleep Appliance Replace My CPAP?
For some patients, an oral appliance provides substantial relief from sleep apnea that a CPAP machine becomes unnecessary. In more severe cases, however, both treatments may be required for the patient to get enough air flow while they sleep. That’s where our collaboration with your sleep doctor will pay off for you. Together we can devise a plan that resolves your sleep apnea symptoms and gets you the deep, replenishing rest you deserve.
Will Sleeping Pills, Essential Oils, or Weighted Blankets Help with Sleep Apnea?
No, these sleep aids are not meant to treat sleep apnea and do not address the underlying cause—interruptions in breathing. These methods may help you feel more comfortable or sleepy, but they will not replace apnea therapy or keep your airway open.
Does Alcohol Make Sleep Apnea Worse?
When you drink alcohol, it tends to make your muscles relax, including facial tissues. As a result, when you drink, these tissues can relax to the point of obstructing the airway. Usually, a small amount doesn’t have a drastic impact, but if you drink right before going to bed, it could exacerbate your sleep apnea symptoms. As part of your treatment plan, you may be instructed to be more careful about your alcohol consumption before bed.