What Is A Sleep Dentist?

About Sleep Dentists

Dentists trained in dental sleep medicine utilize oral appliance therapy to treat sleep-disordered breathing. This includes Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and snoring. Your sleep dentist screens for several health problems during your appointments, and they may be the first to notice one of the many warning signs of OSA.

When To See A Sleep Dentist

When poor sleep due to sleep apnea and snoring directly impacts your health, overall quality of life, and well-being, you face an increased risk for severe health issues – in addition to potentially becoming sleepy, distracted, and irritable in your daily life. Don’t wait; this is when it’s time to take action!

If you think you might have sleep apnea, follow these steps to see if a sleep dentist is right for you:

1. Try an online sleep assessment to see if you should book an appointment with your doctor. 

2. See your Family Doctor, who will examine you for some common medical conditions linked to poor sleep, and they may also use a screening tool to determine if you have the typical symptoms of OSA. 

Your physician may arrange for a simple home sleep test to provide a diagnosis, or you may be referred to a sleep specialist. SomnoMed can also help you find a certified sleep specialist, should you need one. A sleep/test exam can also be conducted in a hospital with an overnight stay (called a polysomnography, or PSG, test). 

Your sleep test will determine your Apnea/Hypopnea Index, also known as your AHI, which measures the severity of your sleep apnea.

3. Depending on your sleep study results, your sleep specialist may send you to a sleep dentist for an oral appliance. The dentist will proceed to examine your teeth to ensure they’re suitable for an oral device. If you’re a good fit for oral appliance therapy, they will scan or mold impressions and order a SomnoMed device designed and manufactured specifically for you!

How To Find A Sleep Dentist

An increasing number of dentists are incorporating Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) to treat OSA and snoring into their practices. Many utilize customized SomnoMed appliances for their patients that will help reduce snoring and improve sleep – without a loud or bulky machine.

Oral Appliance Therapy works best for mild to moderate sleep apnea. A SomnoMed sleep apnea oral appliance is an FDA-cleared, custom-fitted dental device specially designed to be an effective, comfortable, and durable alternative to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. The appliance works by moving the lower jaw forward, clearing the airway and giving you a safe and soundless sleep. 

Ask your sleep physician about seeing a sleep dentist and using a SomnoMed device for your treatment of obstructive sleep apnea!

Need help finding a provider in your area? We can help you get started here: https://somnomed.com/en/find-a-clinic/

References

https://www.aadsm.org/for_patients.php