A dentist can detect early signs of sleep apnea, such as signs of teeth grinding. If you have visited the dentist and you suspect that you might have sleep apnea, then you might be wondering how it is diagnosed. A sleep study is usually how this condition is diagnosed. You might have a sleep study at a lab or with a home kit.
Many patients with sleep apnea grind their teeth during the night. This can cause wear on the molars, as well as damage in the area. Sometimes, sleep apnea is caused by the jaw being too small or the tongue being too large. The dentist can see how well the bite meets. The dentist will also look for a tongue that is scalloped around the edge. This might mean that the tongue is too large compared to the size of the mouth.
Sleep apnea can only be diagnosed through a sleep study by a sleep physician. A patient will either visit a sleep lab overnight or take a home study. A sleep study will examine brain waves, movements of the chin and eyes, heart rate, respiration and oxygen levels in the patient’s blood. These devices are not painful, and most patients can sleep while having the sensors attached. Usually, the room where the sleep study is conducted is more like a hotel room than a hospital.
Sometimes, patients might receive split-night studies. In this study, the first half of the night is designed to diagnose the condition. If the patient does have sleep apnea, then the patient will receive a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for the rest of the night. This will allow the lab to determine how well the patient will respond to this therapy.
A sleep study in a lab is considered the ideal way to diagnose sleep apnea. However, sometimes, a sleep doctor will determine that a patient can be diagnosed using a home study. Home studies are becoming used more often. This can be beneficial for patients who are uncomfortable in a sleep lab.
The results will help the sleep lab determine how severe a patient’s sleep apnea is. If the sleep apnea is very severe, then the patient will need more pressure in the airway to keep it open. In this case, a patient may receive a CPAP machine as well as an oral appliance to work together. On the other hand, a patient with only mild or moderate sleep apnea may have the option to receive only an oral device.
A dentist can help you by finding early potential symptoms of sleep apnea. You can also get fitted for an oral appliance at a dentist’s office. There are many benefits to choosing an oral appliance to treat obstructive sleep apnea. One of these benefits includes the portability of a small oral appliance compared to a larger CPAP machine.
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