Sleep Apnea Treatment
Asheboro, NC
There are several methods of treatment for sleep apnea including Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and surgery. While these methods can be successful, they are also invasive and difficult to handle. Surgery has its obvious risks and CPAP is very difficult to get comfortable with while sleeping. At Randolph Center for Dental Excellence, we are proud to provide our patients with an alternative to these treatments. Our oral appliance therapy is the least invasive way to treat sleep apnea. We offer two different types of appliances, both of which are custom fit to your mouth to make sleeping safe and comfortable for you. Learn More About Custom Oral Appliances
Why See the Dentist
You might be wondering why you need to see a dentist in order to treat sleep apnea. While you will need to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis, Drs. Bryan Freeman & Cheryl Freeman have specific training to effectively fit your mouth with the oral appliances that are necessary to treat sleep apnea. The expertise of our dentists is necessary to ensure that the jaw and teeth are correctly aligned to ensure the safety of your treatment of sleep apnea as well as the safety of your teeth and gums.
The Appliances
Drs. Freeman will consult with you to determine which type of oral appliance works the best for your situation. While there are two different types including the mandibular repositioning device and tongue retaining device, at Randolph Center for Dental Excellence, our focus is on the mandibular repositioning devices. We offer the ResMed Narval and SomnoDent to help our patients sleep better at night and to decrease the likelihood of airway obstructions while they sleep. The mandibular repositioning devices help to reposition the lower jaw to ensure that the airway is open and that there are no obstructions.
The Medical Necessity
Many people are concerned about whether or not their insurance company will consider oral appliance therapy medically necessary. According the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep apnea is a medical condition that can be treated by a dentist trained in oral appliance therapy. It is important to note, however, that the therapy should not be sought before you see your general physician and obtain a sleep study by a licensed professional.
Getting Evaluated
When you are ready for an oral appliance, you will consult with one of our dentists where your mouth will be examined and determination will be made as to which oral appliance will work the best in your mouth. Careful consideration is given to the shape of your mouth, positioning of your teeth and the difficulty that you have that is causing the obstructions while you sleep. The initial phase could take a few weeks or more in order to ensure that your appliance is a perfect fit. Once you have the appliance, you will need to continue to see us on a regular basis to determine the effectiveness of your appliances and to ensure that they still have a proper fit. At this time, our dentists will also ensure that the appliance is comfortable, in good condition and is performing the job that it should be performing.
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