Mike Pulido D.D.S.
Sleep Apnea
Germantown Park Family Dentistry provides effective, therapeutic methods to help patients manage their symptoms of sleep apnea. Whether you’ve already been diagnosed with the condition, or our dentists screen for it during your appointment, we are confident that the approach we provide can improve your quality of life.
How Does A Dentist Treat Sleep Apnea?
It’s actually very simple! Our sleep apnea appliances move the jaw forward to a position that maximizes airflow while you’re sleeping. Each sleep apnea appliance uses a set of acrylic mouth trays that are connected together on either side, creating just the perfect relationship between the jaws.
Does An Oral Appliance Really Work?
Absolutely. In fact, many patients who have tried a dental sleep apnea device have found that they were able to sleep without the use of CPAP equipment and enjoy sounder sleep each night. The theory behind our device is based on techniques used in rescue breathing during CPR. The jaw is moved slightly forward so that soft tissues in the back of the mouth do not seal off airflow to the lungs. Since the oral appliance is small, patients are able to sleep in whatever position is comfortable, without being hooked up to noisy equipment.
What Do I Have To Do To Get Started?
Our dentists treat patients who have either already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, or who are screened through our sleep apnea assessment during their comprehensive exams. Depending on the severity of the condition, it may be in their best interest to begin therapy with an oral appliance. All that is needed is an impression of their upper and lower jaws, which will be used to create a customized oral prosthesis, which can be picked up within about one-to-two weeks.