Not Getting Enough ZZZ’s? You Might Have Sleep Apnea.

Orthodontists’ Orthotic Appliance May Be the Simple Solution for A Better Night’s Sleep

Take This Snore Score™ Sleep Test

Do you wake up tired even though you feel like you slept through the night? Are you cranky or moody for no apparent reason? Do others complain that your snoring kept them up all night?

You might be one of the estimated 20 million Americans with sleep apnea, a disorder in which a person stops breathing periodically throughout the night due to physical obstructions of the airway. Most people with sleep apnea aren’t aware of it.

Dr. Andrew Chase and his team at ARCH Orthodontics (www.archorthodontics.com) regularly do assessments to help people determine if they are candidates for professional evaluation.  Questions Dr. Chase uses to make these assessments include: In the past two weeks, have you unintentionally fallen asleep during the day two or more times? Have you unintentionally fallen asleep in a public place in the past two weeks two or more times?  Have you nodded off or fallen asleep while behind the wheel of a car?

Different treatment options exist, and the appropriate treatment choice depends on the severity of your apnea and other aspects of the disorder. Talk to your doctor about choices. There is a fee to examine and treat for sleep apnea which is generally not covered by insurance.

Although the most common treatment for sleep apnea is CPAP (pronounced see-pap) therapy, Dr. Chase says, “Some patients may benefit from a simpler, less expensive, more comfortable treatment: a dental orthotic appliance.”

The custom mouth guard has two parts: One connecting to the upper teeth functions as the stabilizer for the second part that connects to the lower teeth, which advances the jaw and holds the jaw in a more forward position. This increases the volume for the tongue to have a more relaxed, forward positioning during sleep. This decreases the likelihood of the tongue ‘falling up and back,’ blocking the airway.

A family doctor, cardiologist or pulmonologist usually prescribes a sleep study to confirm the diagnosis. Since 25-50% of patients do not use the treatment on a regular basis because they can’t tolerate CPAP pressure, in order to increase compliance and effectiveness of CPAP, some doctors prescribe combining it with oral appliance therapy. Medical insurance may cover dental orthotic appliance therapy if prescribed by the doctor.

Left untreated, sleep apnea does a lot more damage than ruin a night’s sleep. Resulting fatigue can lead to  workplace or motor vehicle accidents, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, increased risk of diabetes — even death. The American Thoracic Society reports, “People with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, left untreated, have a more than five times greater chance of having cardiac disease and the possibility of a heart attack or stroke.”

Dr. Chase says that even if you think you don’t snore, it’s quite possible that you are having sleep issues. Take the Your Snore Score™ test. If you answer ‘yes’ to any two of these six questions, you should be evaluated by your physician or a sleep specialist: 

• Are you a loud and/or regular snorer?
• Have you ever been observed to gasp or stop breathing during sleep?
• Do you feel tired or groggy upon awakening, or do you awaken with a headache?
• Are you often tired or fatigued during waking hours?
• Do you fall asleep sitting, reading, watching TV or driving?
• Do you often have problems with memory or concentration?

ARCH, the Official Orthodontist of Miss Massachusetts, has seven offices south of Boston and two on Cape Cod.  For more info contact:  smilemaker@archorthodontics.com /  1-800-28-SMILE.  Visit  www.archorthodontics.com. Interest-free financing is available.                                                                                

By Stanley Hurwitz /   508-269-0570  /  stanhurwitz@gmail.com