IN FEBRUARY 2006, THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF SLEEP MEDICINE...
Designated Dental Sleep Appliances, with the CPAP machine, as the NUMBER ONE Treatment Modality for people with Mild to Moderate Sleep Apnea. In other words, the dental sleep appliance is as effective as the CPAP in treatment of Sleep Apnea. This means that the medical doctor who prescribes the CPAP to their patients should really give them the option of a dental appliance and the CPAP. Unfortunately, most medical doctors do not recognize that in the dental field, there exists a solution on par with the CPAP. Because of this, the CPAP has been overly prescribed and results in people seeking their own solution, as you are if you found this website. It should be the duty of the medical community to refer you to a sleep dentist in trying to help with your obstructive sleep apnea.
The #1 Non-Surgical Alternative to the CPAP (including those who are CPAP intolerant) as Recommended by the AASM (American Academy of Sleep Medicine) is a SLEEP DENTAL APPLIANCE. The DENTIST seems to have THE SOLUTION.
75% of those people who try a CPAP actually reject it. They just can't sleep with it rendering it useless. This amounts to over 2 Billion dollars annually wasted in ineffective treatment method.
Is this how you want to
sleep every night?
The CPAP machine is the medical solution to delivering oxygen to your lungs and the rest of your body. During sleep, the tongue relaxes and falls backward and upward. This position blocks the airway and before long, the body realizes its lack of oxygen and wakes you up. Air pressure from CPAP pushes the tongue forward the opens your airway. This method is very successful if you can tolerate it. Unfortunately, approximately over 75% of the people with obstructive sleep apnea who is using the CPAP cannot tolerate the machine. When a CPAP cannot be used, the sleep dentist can provide a dental sleep appliance in its place.
What is the role of the Sleep Dentist in treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea, CPAP intolerance, Snoring, the other sleep problems?
As we age from about 30-40 years old, our muscles start to lose muscle tone. This is no exception with the tongue as it's also a muscle. With lost of muscle tone, the tongue falls backward and upward and partially or completely blocks the airway during sleep. Partial blocking causes snoring and complete blocking causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
The need for Sleep Dentists is becoming apparant and more dentists are fulfulling this role beside their regular services of general dentistry. The SLEEP DENTIST OF LOS ANGELES, DOWNTOWN is located at 350 S. Figueroa St. Suite 551, Los Angeles, CA 90071.
To find other dentists in any city across the US, email findsleepdentists@bettersleepdentist.com
BetterSleepDentist.com
Sleep Disorder Dentist Dr. James C. Feng
BetterSleepDentist.com 2009. Text and info based on information obtained from Dental Continuing Education Courses on Sleep Apnea and Sleep Dentistry organized by Space Maintainers Dental Labortory and the lectures of Dr. Keropian DDS, in Las Vegas, NV, USA. March 2009.