Sleep Apnea Treatment in Syosset, NY

Q: What are the warning signs of sleep apnea?

Symptoms include:- Loud or frequent snoring.- Silent pauses in breathing.- Choking or gasping sounds.- Daytime sleepiness or fatigue.- Unrefreshing sleep.- Insomnia.- Morning headaches.- Nocturia (waking during the night to go to the bathroom)

Barkoff Dental provides sleep apnea treatment in Syosset, NY. Call 516-921-1133 to learn more and schedule an appointment.

Obstructive sleep apnea is an ongoing condition that disrupts sleep.

When breathing is paused or becomes shallow, one will often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep, making the quality of sleep poor. Sleep apnea can be treated with lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and/or surgery.

Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) is often an effective alternative to CPAP for patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.

Many patients suffering from sleep apnea can find relief using a custom removable Oral Appliance Therapy appliance, which adjusts the position of the lower jaw and tongue to minimize airway obstruction.

For moderate to severe sleep apnea, a breathing device called CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or surgery to widen the breathing passages by shrinking, stiffening, or removing excess tissue in the mouth and throat or resetting the lower jaw may be helpful. A CPAP machine uses a mask that fits over your mouth and/or nose and gently blows air into your throat. This air pressure helps keep your airway open while you sleep. Surgery to shrink the tissue involves a small shot into the breathing passages. Surgery to stiffen excess tissue requires a small incision in the tissue and inserting a piece of stiff plastic.

Why Choose Barkoff Dental

For over four decades, families across Syosset, Woodbury, Plainview, Jericho, and Oyster Bay have trusted Barkoff Dental for comprehensive, comfortable, and technology-driven dental care. Led by Dr. Peter Barkoff and a team of skilled associate dentists, our Syosset dental practice combines old-school personalized service with the most advanced dentistry available on Long Island today.

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SomnoDent® Sleep Apnea Appliance

For the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), SomnoDent is worn during sleep to maintain the unobstructed state of the upper airway by increasing its dimensions and reducing collapsibility.

SomnoDent is a custom-made appliance, comprised of upper and lower dental plates with a unique, patented, fin-coupling component, which allows normal mouth opening and closing.

SomnoDent is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, making it easy to carry when traveling. The appliance is comfortable and easy to wear. Most people find that it only takes one or two nights to get used to it.

The Advantages of SomnoDent

Permits normal mouth opening
Allows speech and drinking
Safe and effective
Clinically validated
Custom-fit
Full lip seal
Easily adjustable

Sleep Apnea FAQs

What are the warning signs of sleep apnea?

Symptoms include:

Loud or frequent snoring.
Silent pauses in breathing.
Choking or gasping sounds.
Daytime sleepiness or fatigue.
Unrefreshing sleep.
Insomnia.
Morning headaches.
Nocturia (waking during the night to go to the bathroom)

How is sleep apnea diagnosed?

Sleep apnea is diagnosed through a sleep study. These studies can be performed either at a sleep center or in the comfort of your own home. Only a medical doctor can diagnose you with sleep apnea and recommend a course of treatment.

What is considered severe sleep apnea?

It can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number of times in an hour that your breathing stops (apnea) or becomes very shallow (hypopnea). Apnea episodes may occur from 5 to 100 times an hour. More than five apneas per hour is abnormal. More than 30-40 per hour is considered severe sleep apnea.

What causes sleep apnea?

In adults, the most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is excess weight and obesity, which is associated with soft tissue of the mouth and throat. During sleep, when throat and tongue muscles are more relaxed, this soft tissue can cause the airway to become blocked.

What is the most popular treatment option for sleep apnea?

The treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnea is usually a continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP). CPAP is a mask that fits over the nose and/or mouth, and gently blows air into the airway to help keep it open during sleep. This method of treatment is highly effective.

What are the alternatives to CPAP?

For those patients that fall into the “mild to moderate” category an alternative to a CPAP is an oral appliance made by your dentist. The benefits of the oral appliance are that it’s much less cumbersome than a CPAP, it’s easier to travel with, and there is no loud pump associated with it. The fabrication of an oral appliance must be accompanied by a referral from your medical doctor recommending the use of one.

Is sleep apnea dangerous? Absolutely—when left untreated, it can lead to serious health concerns. From moderate sleep apnea to the most common form of this disorder, symptoms like excessive daytime sleepiness, choking sounds, and breathing cessation raise risk factors for high blood pressure, heart disease, and other threats to your overall health. Through dental sleep medicine, we address how oral structures, a deviated septum, or even the brain failing to send proper signals can disrupt a good night’s sleep. While not all snorers have apnea, the common form often requires more than just pressurized air. Serving Long Island, we provide new treatments that ease difficulty sleeping, improve comfort, and help restore healthier rest.

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