SLEEP APPLIANCE THERAPY
Get more restorative sleep and improve your overall health.
DO YOU GASP, SNORE, OR STOP BREATHING AT NIGHT?
Never ignore a blocked airway - it can lead to significant health issues.
To most people, a partner’s snoring is just a nuisance and not a sign of a serious health problem—but it can be very serious! Rather than resting and recovering from the day, people with sleep-related breathing disorders such as chronic snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are fighting for their lives while struggling to breathe, which impacts the entire body.
If left untreated, sleep-related breathing disorders can lead to daytime sleepiness, reduced cognitive function, and an increased risk for chronic health problems such as ADHD, Alzheimer’s Disease, Anxiety, Depression, Diabetes, Heart Failure, Hypertension, Obesity, Stroke, and others.
Dr. Keith Watson is passionate about helping patients identify and treat sleep and airway disorders before they cause more severe problems.
SRBDs can affect people of any age, size, or gender. Unfortunately, because many healthcare practitioners do not have the time or training to recognize the signs and symptoms, these conditions are often misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, especially in children and people who appear fit and healthy. Often people are not diagnosed until they are older and already suffering from serious health conditions.
The signs of sleep-related breathing disorder often show up first in the mouth, jaw, and face, which is why our team asks questions about sleep as part of routine dental examinations. Common indicators include:
If you suspect you have sleep apnea or another type of airway issue, you’ll need to be screened by a sleep physician (a medical doctor board-certified in sleep medicine.)
Though a study in a “sleep lab” typically provides the best and most accurate data, a sleep study can be done at home in your own bed at your doctor’s discretion. To simplify the referral process, our North Portland dental office partners with SleepTest.comOpens a new window to the SleepTest website to provide an easy, affordable home sleep test option.
Once a sleep-related breathing disorder has been diagnosed by a sleep physician, there are several treatment methods that have proven to be effective, including:
Your sleep physician, often in conjunction with a dentist like Dr. Watson, will determine the most effective treatment for you
An oral sleep appliance (also called a mandibular advancement device) is a hinged plastic dental appliance that fits over your top and bottom teeth. It keeps your airway open by holding your lower jaw in a forward position, preventing collapse of the tongue and surrounding soft tissue into the throat. It can be a very effective treatment for many patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.
Once prescribed by a sleep physician, a qualified dentist makes the sleep appliance, and then manages ongoing appliance therapy. Dr. Watson has completed advanced training so that he can provide an appropriate appliance that fits well and provides long-term relief. To make the appliance, our team will collect information about your bite and take a digital scan of your teeth, and then our lab will fabricate a precision appliance just for you.
Sleep appliances are often partially covered by medical insurance, and our team will be happy to file a claim on your behalf if desired.
YOUR APPOINTMENT
North Portland Dental Care
1832 N Lombard St.
Portland, OR 97217
(503) 235-3002