Sleep Apnea Treatment
More severe sleep apnea is currently treated with a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP machine. Here’s how it works: It increases air pressure in our throat so that your airway doesn’t collapse every time you inhale. While a CPAP machine can help your sleep apnea, you may find it to be bulky, loud, and uncomfortable.
If you have not been screened for sleep apnea, doctor Samadian will prescribe you a at home sleep study after taking a 3D cone beam CT scan of your airway at his office. After the sleep study is done (which means that you will take a device home and will attach some sensors to your face and neck which will record how many episodes you have stopped breathing throughout the night and generates a report based on that), Dr. Samadian will work closely with your primary physician and ENT (ear nose throat) doctor to come to a solid understanding of what option is best for you in terms of using a CPAP machine or an Oral appliance.
After working closely with your primary physician or ENT doctor, if you qualify, Dr. Samadian will use an oral appliance instead of a CPAP machine in mild to moderate cases. An oral appliance works to move your jaw forward and keep your airway open while you sleep. It also prevents your tongue from falling back which also obstructs the airway.
Since you are a unique individual (and so is your case of sleep apnea), Dr. Samadian will design a custom appliance based on a digital scan of your mouth. You’ll find the appliance to be less restrictive and easier to use and transport than a CPAP machine.
As mentioned before In the event you have a more serious case of sleep apnea, working closely with your medical team, Dr. Samadian may recommend a CPAP machine. Both CPAP and oral appliances are most of the times covered by your medical insurance.
