Learn More About Dental Sleep Medicine
At Medical Arts Dentistry, our team works to provide fully comprehensive forms of care that meet the needs of our patients, including cosmetic, general, and family dental services, to improve oral health. Within general dentistry, dentists can specialize in dental sleep medicine to help treat sleep disorders such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Roher works within this field of dentistry to provide patients with ways to manage their disorders and experience better quality sleep.
What is Dental Sleep Medicine?
Dental sleep medicine is a subspecialty that allows dentists to train in oral appliance therapy to treat sleep disorders. This specialty allows dentists to prescribe oral appliances such as mandibular repositioners to align and push forward the mandibular bone, throat muscles, and tongue for better quality sleep.
Sleep medicine dentists have extensive knowledge of sleep disorders and sleep disorder behaviors and have the technical skills required to fabricate and select oral devices that are best for their patient’s issues. These credentials come from accredited non-profit organizations such as the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) or the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM). Dentists working within this field also stay up to date on new sleep disorder treatments, following academic journals and reports on sleep disorder prevalence and other statistics.
How Dental Sleep Medicine Works
For dentists, the role of treating dental issues and sleep disorders is a collaborative one. Dentists that specialize in dental sleep medicine work with sleep physicians to gain referrals for patients and cooperate to ensure patients receive the best form of care.
At Medical Arts Dentistry, Dr. Roher will provide a basic sleep questionnaire, and for patients whose questionnaires indicate sleep apnea, Dr. Roher will screen for additional symptoms, referring patients to sleep studies. If the patient’s sleep study indicates sleep apnea but isn’t qualified for CPAP, Dr. Roher will progress by providing oral appliance therapy, a form of dental sleep medicine that incorporates the use of oral appliances for better quality sleep. These devices include mandibular repositioners, nighttime mouthguards, and tongue-retainer devices. After being fitted with an oral appliance, Dr. Roher may refer you back to your sleep physician for a follow-up sleep study to make fitting adjustments.
Treat Your Sleep Disorders with Oral Appliance Therapy
Patients choosing dental sleep medicine can gain numerous benefits from their treatment. Through treatment options like oral appliance therapy, patients can improve their quality of life, experience better sleep, have more energy, and feel focused throughout the day. By treating your sleep disorder, you can experience a healthier heart, body, and mind.
For more information about oral appliance therapy and what dental sleep medicine can do for you, you can learn by contacting Medical Arts Dentistry. Call (912) 921-0401 for your preliminary consultation, and we’ll be happy to answer all of your questions about dental sleep medicine and other procedures available at our practice.
