Sleep apnea is a disorder where your breathing stops and starts throughout the night.
This interruption can hinder your sleep quality and seriously threaten your health.
Summerhill Dental Excellence in East Brunswick, NJ, can help obstructive sleep apnea patients sleep soundly again with an oral appliance.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when your breathing stops and starts throughout the night because your upper airway is obstructed. Dr. Roger Lerner can treat this sleep disorder with a custom-fabricated OSA appliance which will help keep your airway open during sleep.
Central sleep apnea is less common than OSA and cannot be treated with an appliance. It's a neurological condition where your brain cannot correctly signal your muscles to breathe. Patients who may have central sleep apnea will need further follow-up and treatment with their medical professionals.
Complex sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea: a patient's breathing is impaired due to both the obstruction of the upper airway and the brain's inability to send the proper signals to the muscles. If he suspects complex sleep apnea, Dr. Roger Lerner will likely recommend you to a doctor who can perform a sleep study.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines have long been a go-to treatment to open a sleep apnea patient's airway during sleep, but they pose some downsides. CPAP machines are not the only way to increase your oxygen levels during sleep. OSA appliances offered at our East Brunswick, NJ, office offer the following benefits:
CPAP devices can be noisy and uncomfortable to wear. Our OSA appliances allow you and your partner to sleep with fewer interruptions.
CPAP machines can be bulky and difficult to travel with, keeping you from your dream destination. An OSA appliance is light and portable.
Sleep is vital to your brain, heart, and overall health. The greatest benefit of using an OSA appliance is improving your health through getting proper rest.
- Barry Eisenberg
During your consultation and examination with our team, Dr. Lerner will ask you about your symptoms to see if they indicate obstructive sleep apnea. These are some of the symptoms Dr. Lerner might discuss. If you have a partner, ask them about your sleeping habits to get a better idea of symptoms you may be unaware of while asleep.
Dr. Lerner will begin diagnosing your sleep apnea by discussing your symptoms, risk factors, and medical history.
Gathering this information allows Dr. Lerner to assess and diagnose your condition. We will also follow up with your medical provider to keep a good chain of communication going between the doctors you see.
If Dr. Lerner suspects that you have complex or central sleep apnea or symptoms that point to a different sleep disorder, he can refer you to a specialist for a full sleep study.
If Dr. Lerner determines you have obstructive sleep apnea, we can treat your condition with a custom appliance. We take comfortable digital impressions to create an accurate digital model of your mouth to create the appliance.
We work with a local lab to craft your custom OSA appliance. The lab we work with specializes in crafting sleep apnea appliances. When your appliance is ready, you can come into our office for final adjustments to ensure a comfortable fit.
Summerhill Dental Excellence is a state-of-the-art dentistry practice led by the renowned Dr. Roger Lerner. Our goal is to provide the highest quality dental care and personalized service to the community of East Brunswick and Central New Jersey. Our affiliations include:
We accept most insurance plans and offer a selection of payment options so that you access your care without additional stress or delay. Please request an appointment online or call (732) 651-1818 .