Sleep Apnea
The more we learn about sleep disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea, the more we as dental professionals realize how important it is to screen our patients.
Screening and Treatment
We screen all of our patients at Couzens Dental for possible signs of obstruction that could lead to obstructive sleep apnea. Those signs can include an enlarged tongue, uvula, and/or tonsils; determining if you snore, and asking if your partner ever notices you stopping breathing at night. These are some of the tangible ways that we can screen for sleep apnea.
We also have an app in our office that is a Dental Sleep Apnea screener, and it's basically a set of standardized questions that you answer that will show your risk of sleep disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea.
After we assess the risk for physical signs of sleep apnea, we then refer eligible patients to a sleep physician for additional testing or a consultation about testing. We can also order sleep tests right from the comfort of our office if you’re unsure about seeing a specialist. These tests are administered by a sleep physician, not by our office. Most testing is done in the comfort of the your own home.
We work hand in hand with your physician to help answer any additional questions and to assist with the implementation of the physician’s recommendations. For example, with mild to moderate sleep apnea, the physician might recommend a CPAP machine or an oral appliance. We follow all sleep apnea patients closely for at least a year to ensure your needs are being met and that your recommended appliance actually does what it’s supposed to do.
Contact Us
We offer complimentary second opinions. If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us using the information provided below.
.svg)
