sleep breathing disorders
and
Oral Appliance Therapy
At Thousand Oaks Smile Design we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality care for our patients suffering from sleep related breathing problems including snoring and sleep apnea. Uncomfortable and cumbersome CPAP is no longer the only option! Contact us today for a complimentary consultation to see if you are a candidate for a comfortable and easy to use oral device.
Thousand Oaks Smile Design is prepared to screen for O.S.A., and offer solutions such as oral appliance therapy. We employ the latest cutting edge techniques and technology to ensure a positive experience and successful outcome for all of our patients. Call us today with any questions you may have, or if you or your bed partner snore, or have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and are looking for a CPAP alternative.
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We use the Eccovision Acoustic Pharyngometer / Rhinometer system from Sleep Group Solutions to test our patients nasal and oral airways. The device sends sound waves into the airway and the reflected sound waves are measured by the machine to tell us how big the airway is. The Rhinometer measures the nasal airway and the Pharyngometer measures the oral airway. Both systems are FDA cleared and a highly effective way for us to identify the site and severity of airway collapse as it related to snoring and sleep related breathing problems.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Sleep apnea is essentially your body choking on itself and causing repeated episodes of partial or complete suffocation sometimes lasting a minute or more. These choking and suffocating episodes repeat constantly throughout the night causing a myriad of health complications including increased risk of stroke, heart attack and even death. The cause of this collapse in the airway is usually due to the soft tissues in the mouth , tongue or throat closing down and blocking airflow during sleep. The first sign of this is usually snoring which happens when you are attempting to breathe through a narrow airway. If left untreated snoring often escalates to full OSA where the narrow airway is now completely blocked. Nearly 1 in 4 adults over 30 are unknowingly suffering from at least mild sleep apnea. Read more
Are you at risk?
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Do you snore loudly (louder than a person talking or loud enough to be heard through closed doors)?
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Do you often feel tired, fatigued or sleepy during the day?
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Has your spouse or bed partner ever observed you stop or pause breathing in your sleep?
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Do you have or are you being treated for high blood pressure?
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Are you overweight or obese?
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Are you over 50 years old?
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Is your neck circumference greater than 16 inches?
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Are you male?
If you answered yes to two or more of the above questions then you should have your sleep health evaluated. Read more
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Not all oral appliances are the same.
These devices are manufactured to strict standards and are FDA cleared specifically to manage Sleep Apnea. Additionally, we use state-of-the-art acoustic imaging technology to ensure your jaw is held in precisely the correct position with the appliance. “at home appliance kits” and other bulky non-custom devices may claim to help with snoring but are not nearly as comfortable or successful as the appliances we use.
Am I a candidate for an oral appliance?
Most people are great candidates for an oral appliance. The only way to tell for sure would be to come in for a complimentary consultation at our office. When you come in we will test your airway using our Eccovision Acoustic Diagnostic Imaging system and we may also send you home with a portable sleep apnea monitor. Once everything is reviewed Dr. Elbert will discuss treatment options with you.