Issue 28.13
C-PAP therapy is the treatment for sleep apnea that is most often prescribed by physicians. C-PAP stands for “continuous positive air pressure.” Think of a vacuum running in reverse attached to your nose or whole face. This air pumped from the C-PAP machine, going to your lungs with pressure, keeps your airway from closing off or obstructing while you sleep. Does this sound fun? Not hardly! Although many advances in the size and efficiency of C-PAP devices have been made, it’s still a pain to drag around and use. Sleep apnea is deadly so if you have it you’d better accept the treatment. Dentists have known how to stop snoring for decades. A simple orthotic keeps your lower jaw slightly forward and stops snoring. It also keeps the airway open, thus treating people with sleep apnea very well. Medicare recognizes the effectiveness of these orthotics and pays 100% of the cost. Other advantages of a dental sleep orthotic are:
1. More convenient for travel because of its small size.
2. No electricity needed.
3. No hassle in airports and can be used to sleep on an airplane
4. Stops irritating bed snoring
5. No motor noises or rushing air noises.
6. More romantic bedroom environment than C-PAP masks and hoses.
Dentists who are qualified to treat patients in this manner need to have extensive training in dental sleep medicine and a thorough knowledge of the temporomandibular joint. Board certification by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine tests the knowledge and clinical treatment by dentists of patients for Sleep Apnea. There are fewer than 200 Board Certified dentists in the world. For over 15 years, I have taken a special interest in this field and am one of the above mentioned Board Certified dentists and have the expertise and knowledge to treat patients with both TMJ and Sleep Apnea Problems.
Phillip Hall is a practicing general dentist in St. George. He is also head of the St. George Craniofacial Treatment Center ,and operates St. George Dental Careers ,a successful dental assisting school. He is Board Certified in Dental Sleep Medicine and a Board Certified Diplomat of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. Appointments for general dentistry or dentures call 656-1111. For sleep apnea appliances or TMJ problems call 634-8338.