Sleep Apnea Dentist Miami
How Does Your Dentist Know If You Have Sleep Apnea?
You should never discount the possibility that you suffer from sleep apnea. Ignoring this ailment might lead to more significant health issues, such as heart difficulties. You could have a heart attack or a stroke in the future. You can treat this sickness well and breathe normally at night again if you catch it early. Your dentist can detect sleep apnea as well as assist you maintain healthy, strong teeth and gums.
There are indicators and signals someone is suffering from this sickness:
People with Underlying Health Issues
Certain people are more susceptible to sleep apnea than others. Patients who are overweight or obese, as well as those who have a big neck, are at increased risk. It is also more common in people over the age of 50. This sickness can also be caused by smoking and drinking too much alcohol. People who suffer from nasal congestion on a regular basis should be aware of the condition. Breathing problems at night can be caused by a variety of underlying health issues.
Individual Has Other Breathing Disturbances, such as Snoring
A person with sleep apnea may not be aware of it, but his partner lying in bed them may observe breathing problems. Snoring often indicates there is a blockage in the airway or that the tissue in this area is swollen. A spouse can also alert the dentist to the fact that the patient’s breathing stops and starts frequently throughout the night. These episodes might last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. A person with this illness may gasp for air at night as they battle to breathe.
They Are Still Tired When They Wake Up in the Morning
After a disturbed night’s sleep, many symptoms appear the next morning. Sleep apnea patients frequently do not get enough sleep. These individuals may feel sleepy the next morning or have trouble concentrating. A bad night’s sleep can leave you with a headache or a dry mouth in the morning. Throughout the day, patients are frequently agitated.
A Dental Exam May Reveal Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea can be diagnosed by dentists who have the necessary expertise and training. To begin, the dentist will take X-rays of the patient’s mouth and neck. These images may reveal excessively big tissues in the throat or another type of airway obstruction. A hands-on examination by the dentist may be performed to establish what is impeding the person’s breathing.
Advising on a Solution
Dentists are aware of how mouth appliances can aid in the treatment of sleep apnea. A tongue depressor and a mouthguard are the two main types of equipment that the dentist will employ. The tongue is kept in place by the depressor, which prevents it from moving to the back of the throat. A mouthguard can help to expand the airway by forcing the jaw forward. Changing sleeping positions or using a new pillow can be a simple remedy.
Re-Establish a Good Breathing Pattern
Sleep apnea can be a frightening illness for both you and your bed companion. This illness can have a physical and mental impact on you. Make an appointment with your dentist now to discuss treatment options. To diagnose and treat your condition, your dentist will consider these aspects and employ these treatments.
Dental Solutions of South Florida
Dr. Leslie Haller
348 Alhambra Circle
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Phone: (305) 447-9199
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can Sleep Apnea Be Treated?
Sleep apnea is considered a sleep disorder. It is an abnormal sleep condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night. The patient may snore very loudly every time he/she breathe in or out due to sleep apnea.
There are many sleep apnea treatments available. The sleep apnea treatments depend on the severity of sleep apnea. If sleep apnea is mild, then it can be treated by changing sleep habits and lifestyle. One should avoid sleep at its regular time daily for three days to readjust sleep cycle. A person suffering from sleep apnea should sleep at an incline of 30-40 degrees. One can sleep with the help of devices such as sleep apnea pillow, mouthpiece and sleep apnea tongue device.
If sleep apnea is severe then it may need to be treated by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine along with some other medications. Some patients respond to CPAP treatment while some patients do not respond to it. One of sleep apnea dentist said that sleep apnea can be treated at any age and sleep disorder may not be a cause for concern.
According to the patient’s condition, a sleep specialist will give direction for sleep apnea treatment .
How Does OSA Affects the Sleep Cycle of the Patient?
Proper sleep is essential for overall health and mental well-being. There are some sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, sleepwalking, etc. cause sleep deprivation. Sleep apnea has been reported as one of the major sleep disorders. In sleep apnea, there is a problem in breathing with sleep cycle and sleep apnea patients sleep does not get good night sleep most of the times. In sleep apnea, patient has difficulty in breathing because of the blockage of the airway during sleep time. This blockage sometimes cause disturbance in sleep resulting into lack of sound sleep. When sleep apnea occurs, sleep cycle of the sleep apnea patient get disturbed.
What types Exist?
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea OSA : Air passage to the lungs becomes partially blocked during sleep because of narrowing in the back of the throat due to excessive sleep tissue/obesity, enlarged tonsils or tongue, or because of an abnormally small airway (narrowed). This partial blockage causes sleep disruption that results in obstructive sleep apnea.
- Central : The brain fails to send the signal to start breathing during sleep. This is different than sleep apnea caused by obstruction.
- Complex : A combination of sleep apnea types . Combinations can be obstructive sleep apnea with episodes of central sleep apnea, or vice versa. Or they can be a mix of both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea depending on the individual case.
Which People are Most Likely to Suffer from OSA?
- People who are overweight . The heavier a person is, the more sleep tissue there is in the throat, which can cause partial blockage during sleep. In addition, obesity puts pressure on the diaphragm and chest muscles, causing increased resistance in the breathing process.
- People with a family history of sleep apnea . Sleep apnea is known to run in families.
- People with deviated septum or nasal polyps . Deviated septum and nasal polyps put pressure on the throat, making sleep apnea more likely.
- Men are more likely sleep apnea sufferers than women. Although sleep apnea is common in both genders, men are more likely sleep apnea sufferers because of increased sleep-tissue mass and hormonal changes experienced by women during their menstrual period.
- People who sleep on their backs . If a person sleeps on his back, his tongue will fall backwards and block the air passage, leading to sleep apnea.
- People who sleep with their mouths open . Open-mouth sleepers tend to snore loudly and experience sleep apnea because of partial blockage in the breathing passages during sleep.
What are the Dangers?
Sleep apnea sufferers can wake up many times during sleep, resulting in sleep fragmentation and deprivation. Uninterrupted rest is important for a person’s health because it regulates hormone levels and allows the body to repair itself.
The interrupted sleep caused by apnea can contribute to the following:
- Headaches and migraines
- Irritability and mood swings
- Memory loss and sleepiness
- Weight gain due to sleep deprivation
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
Sufferers are also at a higher risk of being involved in traffic accidents because sleepiness from sleep deprivation can cause drowsiness. They’re also more likely to develop depression as a result of sleep deprivation.
What are the Symptoms?
There are several symptoms, including but not limited to: snoring, choking sensations during sleep, gasping/choking for air during sleep, sleepiness and fatigue that worsen during the day as a result of poor sleep at night, morning headaches that may or may not be accompanied by dry mouth upon waking, sleep-related asthma, sleepwalking and sleep-talking.
Other symptoms may be present depending on the type of sleep apnea that the person has (central sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea), although snoring, failure to get a good nights sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness are usually the most obvious symptoms.
What is Oral Appliance Therapy?
Oral appliance therapy (OAT) abbreviated ABOAT, is the use of customized oral appliances as a sleep apnea treatment.
Contact Sleep Apnea Dentist Leslie Haller
Doctor Leslie Haller practices dental sleep medicine with a focus on sleep apnea treatment. She is a sleep specialist treating sleep apnea related health problems with alternatives to cpap using the latest advances in dental sleep medicine.
Call Dental Solutions of South Florida today at (305) 447-9199 to make an appointment today.
Doctor Haller is one of the few qualified dentists that has experience with:
- Treating OSA
- Oral Devices / Dental Appliances
- Oral Appliance Therapy
- Tongue Retaining Devices
- Alternative Treatment to CPAP
- Keeping Upper Airway Open at Night
- Reducing Daytime Sleepiness
- Bed Partner Observations
- Lower Jaw and It’s Effect on Sleep
- Sleep Apnea Snoring / Loud Snoring and Alternatives to CPAP (Snoring Treatments)
- Uncomfortable CPAP Machines
- Treating OSA
- Managing OSA
- Accurate Apnea Diagnosis
- Appropriate Treatment for Low Oxygen Levels due to OSA
Doctor Leslie Haller and her entire staff has made providing quality dental care her mission, offering an effective treatment option for each diagnosed patient.
She can be extremely helpful with mild, moderate or severe osa and provides many benefits.
The dentist dr is accepting new patient s. The Service areas include Coral Gables, Miami, Miami Beach and all of South Florida.