What can be killing you during your sleep? Maybe You!

February 21, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

At www.thegentledentist.com we are concerned about the overall health of our patients and one of the treatments we can team up with the physican is treating Obstructive Sleep apnea (OSA).  OSA is a chronic disorder where patients usually start off snoring and then during the deepest part of the snore will evolve to gasping for air after a period of time when no breathing is present.  This closure and obstruction of the air passage can create a number of problems with the patient:

  • Chronic sleepiness has been shown to increase traffic accident incidence.
  • High blood pressure.  Because the body senses a drop in oxygen in the blood stream it is critical for the adrenal glands to send a surge of adrenaline into the blood stream which increases the heart rate and increase blood pressure.  Over time this creates a lot of stress on the body and can lead to a heart attack.
  • Diabetes.  This high blood pressure can affect the way that blood sugars are metabolized in the body.
  • Impotence.  For men their sexual drive can be affected
  • Relations.  Because snoring keeps the family up at night the use of such a device can provide peace for all concerned.

Treatment:  The cPAP is a pressure filled mask that is plugged into the wall which runs a humidified air compressor which forces air down the trachea and into the lungs.  This has a quiet buzz and is like a Darth Vator mask.  Patients sometimes find it difficult to wear and decided to not wear it and end up being non complient. 

The oral sleep appliance is different in that it is much smaller and convenient to use.  Rather that forcing air into the lungs by pressure this oral appliance shifts the jaw forward and the soft tissues attached to the jaw open the air space.  By eliminating the cPAP things are more comfortable and much more compatible.  Keep in mind that the cPAP is the gold standard and is usually preferred by the sleep doctors but the problem is that the patients have a difficult time tolerating it.  It is important for the patient using the oral appliance go through a series of exercises during the morning after waking up.  This 10 minutes is important because it reseats the jaw back into where it needs to go and when doing so the bite is not affected. 

It is important for your dentist to have a good understanding of the occlusion (bite) and the TMJ (Jaw Joint).  If you have a cPAP and just can’t use it let us know about it.  If you have some of these symptoms mentioned above let us know so we can refer you to a sleep physician and order a sleep study.  Even though you may not think this is a problem you would be surprised to find out just how good you would feel with a good night sleep. 

If you have comments or questions and are in the Shelby Twp. MI area please call us up at (586)247-3500 or email me at DrAntolak@TheGentleDentist.com.

Filed Under: Dental Patient Testimonials, Dental Videos, General Dentistry, How to choose a dentist, Oral Conditions, Sleeping Disorders Tagged With: , , ,

How the dentist can save your life while you sleep.

February 21, 2011 by · Leave a Comment


At www.thegentledentist.com we are always interested in providing the most up to date care for our patients.  One of the most beneficial services we provide is the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea for our patients who stop breathing at night. 

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition where one will encounter periodic episodes of losing their breath during sleep.  The airway can be restricted when there is too much soft tissue in the space and the patient will struggle at times to breathe, eventually taking a gasp of air after laboring to get in a breath for over 10 seconds.  Common risk factors are:

  • high BMI (body mass index).  Obesity is rampant in Americans due to a lack of exercise, fast foods and other factors
  • small size of the lower jaw- if the lower jaw is too small then the soft tissue is packed into a small space which can prevent adequate air from moving down the trachae.  In a larger lower jaw the tissue moves with the jaw and therefore space isn’t such a problem.
  • The chronic use of alcohol can relax muscles of the neck to the point where they collapse into closing the air space.

The gold standard in obstructive sleep apnea is the cpap machine.  This machine provides positive pressure forcing air down the trachea and into the lungs during the night .  The problem is that this is not very comfortable and is not well tolerated by the patient or the spouse.  The machine makes a rumbling noise which is from the compressor.  It is important to remain sleeping on the back with such a device because the mask needs space and if one rolled onto the stomach the mask would press against the face.

The oral appliance moves the jaw forward to open up the space.  Because the soft tissue is attached to the lower jaw, when it is positioned forward all of the tissue comes with it. 

The oral appliance can be adjusted to move the jaw forward but there are limitations on how far.  As the jaw moves forward it displaces the TMJ (tempro mandibular joint), the joint in which the jaw hinges on.  As the joint is moved there are some clicking and potential joint problems that can be be experienced and this is why your dentist needs to be aware of the workings of the bite and jaw joint. 

On Frank, this treatment has been very successful and compared with a cheap over the counter device it is a worth while investment (financially and health wise).

For more information please call Dr. Antolak, The Gentle Dentist at (586)247-3500 or email at DrAntolak@TheGentleDentist.com

Filed Under: Dental Patient Testimonials, Dental Videos, General Dentistry, Health Implications, Oral Conditions, Sleeping Disorders Tagged With: , , ,

Why sleep apnea and snoring can be dangerous to your health and relationships

June 21, 2009 by ·

At www.Thegentledentist.com, Dr Robert Antolak treats snoring and obstructive sleep apnea using oral appliances. These devices brings the lower jaw forward to open the airway to prevent the collapse of the airway to keep breathing easier. If you suffer from
1. snoring, gasping or jerking during sleep
2. Headaches or sore throat
3. Suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness or difficulty concentrating
4. Have cardiovascular problems including high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks or heart failure you may have apnea.
If you are using a Cpap machine but find it cumbersome and don’t use it then oral appliance therapy can be for you. Call Dr. Antolak in shelby township Michigan, macomb county at 586.247.3500. He specializes in cosmetic, implants, and general dentistry in a relaxed and gentle atmosphere.

Filed Under: Dental Videos, General Dentistry, Health Implications, Oral Conditions, Sleeping Disorders Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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