Sleep Apnea Therapy – Astoria, NY
Simpler Sleep Apnea Therapy For Better Health
In our modern, busy world, many of us underestimate the importance of good-quality sleep each night, which puts our health at serious risk. In fact, sleep apnea increases the risk of many harmful conditions such as obesity, heart attacks, depression, and stroke. Not to mention that it impacts your everyday quality of life by causing chronic daytime fatigue. At ED Family Dental, Dr. Shkurti can help you stay healthier and get the rest you need with sleep apnea therapy in Astoria. If you think you may have this common sleep disorder, don’t hesitate to contact us – treatment is easier than you might think!
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that occurs when breathing starts and stops frequently while sleeping. These interruptions can occur up to 30 times an hour and last more than 10 seconds at a time, and prevent you from entering the deeper stages of sleep that are so crucial for your health.
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in which the airway becomes blocked. This often occurs when structures such as the tongue, adenoids, and tonsils become so relaxed during sleep that they obstruct the airway.
What Are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea affects millions of people. And, unfortunately, since the symptoms can be easily attributed to other disorders, around 80% don’t know they have it. Two of the most common symptoms are snoring and waking up repeatedly to gasp for breath. But there are several other signs to be aware of:
- Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
- Difficulty focusing at work or school
- Waking up each day with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Headaches in the morning
- Weight gain or trouble losing weight
- Depression, irritability, or anxiety
How Can a Dentist Treat Sleep Apnea?
As a dentist in Astoria, we’re thrilled to offer our patients a simple, effective way to get relief. The first step is diagnosis, and after Dr. Shkurti evaluates your symptoms, we can refer you for a sleep study to determine whether you have this condition.
Then we can custom-make a lightweight, portable oral appliance that will reposition your lower jaw and tongue to open your airway while you sleep. These appliances are much more comfortable and easier to tolerate than a CPAP machine and are very effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea.
Some patients with more severe cases might benefit from combined therapy using both an oral appliance and a CPAP machine. This gives you the best of both worlds and often makes it easier to tolerate a CPAP altogether.
Sleep apnea impacts your energy levels and health in many ways. With sleep apnea therapy in Astoria, we’re so glad that we can help our patients lead longer, healthier lives!
Understanding the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment
Getting a good night's sleep is essential to maintaining your overall health and wellbeing around the clock. Unfortunately, however, many people are hesitant to seek help with their sleep disorder because they’re concerned about the cost of treatment. At ED Family Dental, we understand cost can be a big factor when deciding to seek treatment for sleep apnea, but because of unique nature of this condition, there is no way to quote a one-size-fits-all price for it. Thus, to get the most accurate care estimate, it is important to visit us for an in-person consultation. In the meantime, feel free to read below about how we’ll calculate your cost once you do.
Does Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment?
In most cases, dental insurance will not cover the cost of sleep apnea treatment or an oral sleep appliance, even though they are available exclusively through dental professionals. However, your medical insurance may offer some level of coverage for your care, so be sure to check your plan’s details to see which specific options are available.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment
Although there are two important factors that can affect the cost of your sleep apnea treatment, the only way to calculate your specific total is to visit ED Family Dental for a consultation. These factors include:
- How much your medical insurance may cover. This will depend on whether they have received all the necessary paperwork regarding your diagnosis, sleep study, and your doctor’s prescription for treatment.
- The type of treatment your doctor recommends (typically oral appliance or CPAP).
Treat Your Sleep Apnea Now to Improve Your Health
Although it may seem like a big hassle, getting a proper diagnosis for sleep apnea is an important step in receiving treatment for your condition. When left untreated, this disorder can cause more than just tiredness- it can often result in the worsening of a variety of serious conditions including depression, anxiety, hypertension, diabetes, and certain cancers, not to mention the cost to treat them. This means that the sooner you intervene and address your sleep apnea symptoms, the healthier you’ll be, and the more money you can potentially save in the long term.
Making Sleep Apnea Treatment More Affordable
At ED Family Dental, we understand that it can be expensive to treat sleep apnea, which is why we are committed to helping make this expense as affordable as possible. We are pleased to welcome flexible financing plans through our preferred third-party lenders CareCredit. With this program, you can break up the cost of your sleep apnea treatment into multiple, low or no interest monthly payments that may be more manageable with your budget. To learn more about your treatment options, including the cost of sleep apnea treatment in Astoria, visit our website to schedule a consultation today.
Sleep Apnea FAQs
Why Should I See a Dentist for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
If your breathing is interrupting your sleep cycles at night, it can affect everything from your mood to your energy levels to your overall and oral health. When so many aspects of your life are impacted, it’s natural to wonder why you should see a dentist to help with your sleep apnea.
Although it may not seem immediately apparent, this night-time condition is closely connected with your dental well-being. For example, if you have obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Shkurti can reposition your lower jaw to keep the tissues from blocking your airways while you rest. He’s familiar issues that can affect your nose, throat, and jaw in addition to keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
How Long Are Sleep Apnea Episodes?
Did you know that on a typical night, the average person completes anywhere from 4 to 6 complete sleep cycles every night? When you enjoy uninterrupted breathing, your body completes three stages of NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep before entering a fourth stage of REM rest. Then, this pattern repeats until you rise in the morning.
Sleep apnea events can last anywhere from 10 seconds to up to 2 minutes and can happen 5 to 30 times each hour that you snooze. How advanced your condition is determined by how advanced your case is as evidenced by how many episodes occur each evening. 0 to 15 events are considered “mild” while 30 or more are “severe” cases.
Can My Dentist Diagnose Sleep Apnea?
It’s natural to wonder whether the same person who treats your sleep apnea can diagnose it. However, only a sleep doctor is qualified to accurately administer and interpret the results of a sleep study. Although Dr. Shkurti is happy to help you find solutions to get a good night’s rest, he can’t diagnose your condition.
That said, he’s happy to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your condition and examine your mouth to identify any immediate concerns. Then, he can refer you to an appropriate specialist to diagnose your sleep disorder.
Is Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment Covered by Insurance?
If you’re ready for a solid night’s sleep but are on a tight budget, you might worry that you can’t afford to have your sleep disorder diagnosed or treated. As a result, many patients wonder whether their insurance policy covers the identification of and the solutions needed to address this condition.
Typically, medical insurance has some form of partial coverage for sleep apnea because it affects your general health. Even if our team supplies the treatments, we will work with your medical insurance carrier (not your dental policy provider) to file your claims.
Does Everyone Who Snores Have Sleep Apnea?
No, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, and not everyone who has sleep apnea snores. That being said, one of the most common and noticeable symptoms of sleep apnea is loud snoring. If you or your sleeping partner notice that you have been snoring, this is a good reason to see a professional to get to the bottom of it. To determine if sleep apnea is the reason for your snoring, you will need to complete a sleep study. If you receive a positive diagnosis, steps can be taken to help you get the restful sleep you need at night to thrive during the day.
Will Oral Appliance Therapy Make CPAP Therapy Unnecessary?
CPAP therapy works by physically forcing air through the airways with a mask worn through the night. Only approximately half of people who are prescribed CPAP therapy actually use it as directed because many find it uncomfortable and impractical. In some cases, an oral appliance can replace CPAP therapy. In severe cases of sleep apnea, a combination may be ideal. By working with your sleep dentist, you can find a solution to best meet your needs.
Will My Sleep Apnea Go Away If I Lose Weight?
The short answer is maybe. Being overweight is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea. Excess weight and tissue can block the airway, so losing this weight can reduce this harmful tissue. However, there is a chance that you could continue to have sleep apnea even after reaching a healthy weight. You would need to complete another sleep test to find out if you still have the condition.
How Should I Clean My Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance?
It is important that you keep your oral appliance clean to reduce your likelihood of cavities, gum disease, and other infections. You should gently brush and rinse your oral appliance every morning. When you aren’t wearing it, keep it in its case. Denture cleanser can also be used for extra freshness.