Have you been waking up at night feeling short of breath, or falling asleep during the afternoon no matter how much coffee you drink? Does your partner complain about your constant snoring? Do you feel fatigued or suffer from headaches for no apparent reason? You might have sleep apnea, and you may wonder what you can do about it.
Sleep apnea is a common diagnosis today for people with difficulty sleeping, whether the trouble is falling asleep or staying asleep. Sleep apnea has been implicated in a wide variety of other health issues, ranging from migraines to heart disease. If you are suffering from sleep apnea or other sleep disorders, Silent Night Therapy can help you with our alternatives to standard sleep apnea treatments.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that occurs when breathing briefly stops during sleep. This may be due to airway blockage, an interruption in the brain’s signals to the respiratory center, or a combination of the two. All forms of sleep apnea have the same result: your sleep is disrupted repeatedly throughout the night. Your heart must work harder to deliver oxygenated blood through the body, increasing your blood pressure and putting stress on the heart itself.
Untreated, sleep apnea can lead to chronic high blood pressure, sleep deprivation, even weight gain and depression. The benefits of a good night’s sleep are extensive, and sleep apnea deprives you of them. Fortunately, there are methods of treating apnea and improving your sleep available through the doctors at Silent Night Therapy.
Our Founder, Dr. Clifford Brown
When Dr. Brown opened Babylon Dental Care in New York in 1983, he was already committed to providing the best dental care possible to his patients. During the next 23 years, he expanded to a second clinic and increased his team to give his patients the attention they needed in West Babylon, Patchogue, and now Lindenhurst.
During his years of practice, Dr. Brown trained in Dental Sleep Medicine and Oral Appliance Therapy, which came to be the foundation of his sleep apnea therapy clinics. Dr. Brown is a member of The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) and The Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorder Disciplines and has devoted himself to advancing the treatment of sleep apnea using Oral Appliance Therapy.
Treatment Methods Good and Better
At Silent Night Therapy, Dr. Brown and his team prefer to use Oral Appliance Therapy instead of the more commonly known CPAP device. If the main cause of sleep apnea is a soft-tissue blockage, rather than an actual failure of respiration, the simplest treatment is to relieve the blockage by moving the lower jaw forward.
Silent Night Therapy provides four options for Oral Appliance Therapy, depending on the nature of the blockage and the needs of the patient. They are similar in design to orthodontic devices, and were developed from them, since positioning the jaw is essential in opening the airway for easy respiration.
- The Respite Blue+ is a customized mouthpiece that allows freedom of jaw movement while keeping the airway open. It is similar to an orthodontic night guard to prevent grinding teeth.
- The Dynaflex Dorsal was originally designed as a TMJ splint for correcting temporomandibular joint problems, which can be implicated in sleep apnea, snoring, and other ENT issues.
- The Adjustable Herbst, despite its fearsome appearance, was developed for the repair of severely damaged jaws and for bringing upper and lower jaws into alignment. If your obstructive sleep apnea is caused by misalignment, this therapy can be invaluable.
- The Elastic Mandibular Advancement (EMA) is a tiny device consisting of two individual straps for each side of the jaw. It is ideal for those who are resistant to intrusive equipment but who still need to keep their airways open for a good night’s sleep.
Dr. Brown and his team find that these appliances are more versatile than the traditional CPAP, are better tolerated by patients, and are easier to sleep in. They are less expensive and are usually covered by health insurance. Just as importantly, they provide quick relief for sleep disorders without obtrusive equipment.
What Do I Have to Do Next?
Silent Night Therapy offers you three online options to determine the best course of action.
- Take a five-minute online evaluation. With our quick online quiz, our team can make a fast assessment of your case and determine your risk of sleep apnea. This quiz is confidential and provides us with a brief outline of your risk factors and most serious complaint. You’ll be contacted by one of our team members for a follow-up so we can arrange a consultation.
- Try our at-home sleep test. You can get a complete review of your case without leaving home, a necessity with today’s COVID lockdowns. After a consultation with our team to discuss your medical history, current health issues, and an insurance screening to verify your coverage, you will be given an at-home sleep apnea test, with detailed instructions. Once your test is complete, it will be reviewed by Dr. Brown, and a follow-up will be scheduled to discuss your results and best options.
- If you’re ready to begin, the initial consultation is free. Schedule your consultation immediately to discuss your case right away, and we can begin working on your treatment plan now. If you already have a diagnosis and are looking for an improvement in your treatment, then you may want to skip the preliminary steps and call Silent Night Therapy today.
Sounds Good! How Long Will It Take?
Once you contact Silent Night Therapy at 631-983-2463 or through our website, the initial consultation will take about 45 minutes to an hour. If you need to take the at-home sleep test, it will be done overnight in the comfort of your own home. Then the results will need to be evaluated.
After that, we can have your appliance fitted, cast, and returned to you in about three weeks. The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll be on your way to a night of uninterrupted sleep.
The initial consultation is free, so call the Lindenhurst office of Silent Night Therapy at 631-983-2463 or contact us online today. A good night’s sleep awaits.