TREATMENTS

Sleep Apnea

Are You Tired?

If so you may be suffering from a sleep disorder. Some common sleep disorders include insomnia, snoring, and sleep apnea. Our dental office is highly trained in “Dental Sleep Medicine” and can provide treatment options for sleep apnea. Dental sleep medicine is recognized by the medical community as an effective treatment approach to the management of obstructive airway sleep disorders. Please call our office to learn about our specialized equipment and therapies at 1-406-278-3609.

You may suffer from a sleep disorder if you experience any of the following symptoms:

Daytime tiredness
Gasping, choking, struggling for breath or stop breathing during sleep
Toss and turn frequently
Awakening repeatedly due to breathing difficulty
Kick or jerk legs repeatedly
Morning headaches
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Poor memory or clouded intellect
Irritability, personality changes
Decreased sex drive, impotence
Grinding teeth at night
Cardiovascular disease
Heartburn
Depression
Excessive perspiration at night
Dry mouth upon waking
Frequent trips to the bathroom during the night
Rapid weight gain

Children and Sleep Apnea

Does your child…

Sleep in an abnormal position, with head off the bed or propped up with pillows?
Snore loudly and often?
Stop breathing during the night for 10-20 second periods, followed by choking, gasping or waking up?
Sweat heavily during sleep?
Wet the bed?
Seem difficult to wake up, even though sleep should have been long enough?
Have headaches during the day, particularly in the morning?
Act irritable, aggressive or cranky?
Fall asleep or daydream in school or at home?
Have school-related or other behavioral problems?
Been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity? (ADHD)

If your child is experiencing any of the above, he or she could be suffering from Sleep Apnea. This is a condition that results from an obstructed, narrowed, or collapsed airway, either in or behind the nose or the throat. As a result of the compromised airway, oxygen is blocked from entering the lungs.

In children, this lack of oxygen during sleep is generally caused by one of two things: enlarged tonsils or adenoids or a malformation in the oral-facial area such as the teeth, jaws, nasal passages, etc.

If your child is experiencing any of the behaviors listed above, our office may be able to help. Along with a thorough examination and visual inspection of the oral airway, we are able to use non-invasive technology called rhinometry to map a real-time picture of your child's nasal passages and oral airway. This technology uses sound waves to detect possible constrictions and obstructions that may be preventing the normal oxygen flow while your child sleeps.