As your dentist, Dr. Evans and Dr. Ziemba strive to provide the comprehensive oral care necessary to address common dental concerns and keep your smile healthy for the long term. Disease prevention and overall well being is a focus of our preventive dental care, including treatment for snoring and sleep apnea.
Sleep disorders are a growing health concern, with thousands of patients being diagnosed every year. There are a range of sleep related disorders and identifying the cause of your symptoms is important for proper treatment and understanding any associated health risks. Dr. Evans or Dr. Ziemba can work with you and your general physician to conduct a sleep study to determine if you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a more serious sleep disorder that can affect your quality of life.
Are You At Risk for Sleep Apnea?
Common risk factors include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Being a smoker
- Having high blood pressure
- Having a large neck circumference
- Chronic nasal congestion
Longmeadow dentists Dr. Evans and Dr. Ziemba offer convenient, comfortable treatment for patients diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea. The CPAP is still considered the “gold standard” of treatment for OSA, but many patients fail to comply due for many reasons. An alternative to the CPAP, oral appliance therapy has been proven effective and has a much higher compliance rate- the key to reducing health risks and improving sleep. Pioneer Valley Dental Arts recommends Somnodent oral appliances for patients with sleep apnea and can work with you to monitor progress and make other important lifestyle changes that can also improve symptoms. Your oral appliance is custom made and fits snugly over the teeth much like a sports mouth guard. Drinking fluids and speaking normally are possible while wearing the appliance, which is also small and convenient for travel.