What is sleep medicine?
Sleep medicine is an oral health subspecialty that involves diagnosing and treating sleep-related disturbances and disorders.
If you regularly wake up in the middle of the night or feel groggy in the mornings, it might be due to an underlying health problem. Prestige 5th Avenue Dental offers sleep medicine to identify the source of your symptoms and determine the best treatment.
What conditions does sleep medicine treat?
At Prestige 5th Avenue Dental, Dr. Simkha uses sleep medicine to treat two of the most common sleep problems:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
OSA is a sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing during sleep. Specifically, it causes the tissues at the back of your throat to relax, blocking your airways.
Untreated OSA increases your risk of serious health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
Snoring
Snoring is a harsh, unpleasant sound caused by air flowing through the tissues in your nose and throat. Almost everyone snores occasionally, but if it regularly keeps you or your partner up at night, treatment is essential.
What does sleep medicine involve?
At Prestige 5th Avenue Dental, Dr. Simkha offers sleep medicine through the iSleep Program, the leading provider of sleep diagnostics and management in New York City.
The iSleep Program features state-of-the-art sleep testing facilities that provide top-quality customer care. They provide a hotel-like environment to make overnight sleep studies comfortable, relaxing, and anxiety-free.
If Dr. Simkha determines you’re a candidate for sleep medicine, she refers you for an overnight sleep study at an iSleep Program lab.
During a sleep study, the iSleep team monitors your brain waves, oxygen levels, heart rate, and breathing. If your test results confirm a sleep disorder, like obstructive sleep apnea, the team works with Dr. Simkha to relieve your symptoms and help you sleep more comfortably.
How are sleep disorders treated?
Treatment of sleep disorders depends on the severity of your symptoms and your general health. Dr. Simkha might recommend:
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy
- A custom oral appliance that holds your airways open
- Fotona laser treatment (NightLase®) to reshape tissues at the back of your mouth
- Improved sleep hygiene
- Healthy lifestyle changes
The goal of treatment is to help you get a more restful and rejuvenating night’s sleep.
Call Prestige 5th Avenue Dental today to schedule a sleep medicine consultation, or book your appointment online.