There are other types of issues that dental patients deal with outside the realm of teeth and oral health. One such issue is known as sleep apnea.
Corte Madera Dentist – Madera Dental Julie Young, DDS is pleased to be able to work with patients suffering from or struggling with sleep apnea, offering personalized sleep apnea therapy in Corte Madera, CA.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder during which a patient’s breathing during sleep temporarily stops. Breathing stops when the soft tissues of the mouth and throat relax during sleep. When this happens, the tissues can collapse in their relaxed state and cover up the airway.
After a few moments, the body reacts to the lack of oxygen by jolting the patient awake.
The muscles contract and breathing again becomes possible, just in time for the process to repeat itself when the patient falls asleep once more.
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
You or a loved one might be dealing with sleep apnea if you’ve experience any of the following symptoms for an extended period of time:
- Loud snoring.
- Exhaustion after sleeping.
- Daytime sleepiness.
- Nightmares.
- Insomnia.
- Breathing heavily through the mouth while asleep.
- Loud breathing while asleep.
- Depression.
- Dry mouth.
- Headaches.
- Fatigue.
- Mood swings.
- Weight gain.
- Irritability.
Although you cannot diagnose sleep apnea yourself, there are a number of professionals that can do so. Once you have a diagnosis of sleep apnea from a qualified professional, we can provide treatment options.
Understanding the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment
Everyone’s case is different, so the cost of sleep apnea treatment can vary quite a bit. We can go more into detail about the estimated costs when you visit us in person. Then we can discuss specific numbers and all of your payment options. Until then, here are some things for you to take into account.
Does Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment?
Dental insurance doesn’t cover the cost of sleep apnea treatment. Instead, sleep apnea diagnoses and treatments are usually dealt with through your medical insurance plan. To learn more about your coverage, it is a good idea to reach out to your provider directly. One of our friendly team members would also be happy to help you with this process. You could end up significantly reducing your out-of-pocket expenses.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment
There are multiple different factors that contribute to the cost of sleep apnea treatment. Here are the two that play the biggest roles:
- Type of Sleep Apnea Treatment: There are different ways to address sleep apnea, and these treatments have different price ranges. At our practice, we use oral appliance therapy to reduce sleep apnea symptoms. The investment for oral appliances is generally more affordable than CPAP machines and other methods.
- Insurance Coverage: Depending on your medical insurance plan, more or less of your treatment may be covered. With proper preauthorization, medical insurance plans will typically say how much they plan to cover before you receive your device.
Treat Your Sleep Apnea Now to Improve Your Health
Many patients wonder if it is even worthwhile to go through the sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment process. Whether or not you have health insurance that covers treatment, you can be confident that seeking treatment will benefit your health, therefore reducing your long-term expenses. For example, when you have sleep apnea, you are at higher risk of multiple different health problems, including some that are serious and life-threatening – like stroke, health disease, diabetes, hypertension, depression, weight gain, and more! These problems will eventually result in high medical bills and a lower quality of life.
Making Sleep Apnea Treatment More Affordable
If you don’t have medical insurance, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be left all on your own. We are happy to accept payments through CareCredit – a third-party financing company that can split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments with little to no interest. To learn more about your financial options, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our friendly team members.
Treatment for Sleep Apnea with Corte Madera Dentist – Madera Dental Julie Young, DDS
If you think you or a loved one might be suffering from sleep apnea, schedule a sleeping test. During the test, the patient in question will have their vitals monitored as they sleep as well as their breathing patterns and the movements of their appendages.
After you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you can get treatment from Corte Madera Dentist – Madera Dental Julie Young, DDS. We will outfit you with an oral appliance to wear at night. This appliance acts as a sort of mouthguard for your airway, keeping it open while you sleep.
Patients often prefer these oral appliances to other sleep apnea treatment options. It is comfortable, portable, and easy to use.
Sleep Apnea FAQs
Sleep apnea is not something you can afford to ignore for too long; if you suspect that you have it, you need to act quickly to have it diagnosed and treated. Of course, you might be hesitant to take decisive action if you still have some lingering questions about your disorder and the available treatment options. As such, we have answered a number of common sleep apnea inquiries in the following FAQs. Remember that you can always speak to our team if you have further questions.
Can I Diagnose Sleep Apnea On My Own?
No. Many of the symptoms associated with sleep apnea have more than one potential cause. As such, simply noticing said symptoms isn’t enough to say for sure that you are suffering from sleep-disordered breathing. You will need to find a professional who is able to perform a sleep test (which can be performed in a laboratory or in the comfort of your own home depending on the method used). A proper diagnosis must be made before your sleep apnea can be effectively treated.
Will Oral Appliance Therapy Make CPAP Therapy Unnecessary?
Traditionally, sleep apnea is treated with a CPAP machine, which can keep your airway open with a constant stream of pressurized air. While CPAP therapy is highly effective, many people find it so uncomfortable and/or noisy that they stop using it.
If you are unable to tolerate your CPAP machine, you may find yourself wondering whether oral appliance therapy is a viable alternative. In many cases, the answer is yes! For people with mild to moderate sleep apnea, an oral appliance can be an excellent solution for keeping their sleep-disordered breathing under control. Of course, every patient is different; it’s worth talking to your sleep doctor and your dentist to figure out which treatment option is truly right for you.
How Should I Clean My Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance?
Once you receive your sleep apnea oral appliance, we can give you detailed instructions for cleaning it. Here are some basic tips:
- Always brush your appliance when you take it out in the morning.
- Do not leave your appliance sitting out on the bathroom counter or in any other exposed area; always put it in its case when it’s not in use.
- Soak your appliance in a denture cleaning solution at least once a week.
How Soon After Starting Sleep Apnea Treatment Will I Notice Improvement?
Once you start wearing an oral appliance to bed (and have adjusted to it, which should only take one or two days in most cases), it won’t be too long before the quality of your sleep starts to improve. If your symptoms seem to be less severe than they used to be or have subsided entirely, it’s likely a good indicator that your oral appliance therapy is working. Of course, the only true way to confirm the impact your appliance is having on your sleep disorder is to have another sleep test performed.
For any further questions about sleep apnea treatment with Corte Madera Dentist – Madera Dental Julie Young, DDS or to schedule an appointment, contact us today.
