Areas of Practice
SLEEP APNEA & SNORING
Sleep apnea is a serious condition that causes repeated moments of suffocation during sleep. This chronic suffocation degrades sleep quality, impacts daily functioning, and raises a patient’s risk of serious health problems, like heart disease. Often, the cause of sleep apnea and snoring can be linked to a restricted airway. By using noninvasive oral sleep appliances, we can reposition the jaw and tongue so that a clear the airway is restored, and undesirable symptoms are eliminated.
TMJ DISORDERS
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a serious but common condition affecting the jaw. Often caused by untreated sleep problems like sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, misaligned bites, or facial injuries, TMJ disorder can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life and eventually lead to damaged dentition and chronic pain. By pinpointing the underlying causes of this painful condition, an effective treatment plan focused on the origin of a patient’s TMJ disorder can be developed, and future pain or damage can be mitigated.
Our Therapy Options
Oral Appliance
Oral appliance therapy is an effective treatment option for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). An oral appliance fits over your teeth like an orthodontic retainer while you sleep and supports your jaw in a forward position to keep your airway open. A custom-fit oral appliance can improve your sleep, restore your alertness, and revitalize your health.
Cold Laser
Cold laser therapy is a low-level laser therapy believed to stimulate healing and reduce pain and inflammation. Some people use cold laser therapy to treat temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and sleep apnea. The laser energy may stimulate the production of endorphins, which are natural painkillers produced by the body. Cold laser therapy may also improve blood flow and reduce inflammation in the affected area, which helps alleviate pain and improve function.
Nasal Breathing Therapy
Nasal Breathing Therapy is a holistic approach to treating sleep-related issues. Nasal Breathing Therapy is the foundation for correcting sleep and TMJ disorder issues, enabling you to obtain a restful night's sleep. It is essential to follow the prescribed plan to optimize the results of this therapy.
At our practice, we utilize the Buteyko Method, which has been demonstrated to be effective in treating various respiratory issues, such as sleep-disordered breathing, insomnia, snoring, central sleep apnea, and obstructive sleep apnea.
The Technology behind our success.
Our State-of-the-art Diagnostic Tools
ECCOVISION ACOUSTIC DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SYSTEM
Our practice uses 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.
Dental Cone Beam CT
Dental cone beam computed tomography (CT) is a special type of x-ray equipment used when regular dental or facial x-rays are not sufficient. Your doctor may use this technology to produce three dimensional (3-D) images of your teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone in a single scan.
Bio JVA™ Joint Vibration Analysis
When smooth surfaces rub together, little friction and vibration are created. When surfaces become rough, friction and vibration are created when articulated.
The Bio JVA work by measuring and recording movement in 4-dimensional space and translating it into a digital signal displayed as simple, digestible data through the BioPAK™ software.
Jaw joint vibrations have been researched extensively with thousands of documented cases of various dysfunction. The BioJVA and joint vibration analysis practice can help you as a doctor to identify disturbances that correspond with various types of dysfunction found on the Piper Scale of jaw joint dysfunction.
The problem the BioJVA™ solves is it’s ability to create clear data for a proper diagnosis and therefore treatment.
Our At-home sleep study equipment
ARES APNEA RISK EVALUATION SYSTEM
In order to be diagnosed with sleep apnea an overnight sleep test is required. Historically this meant the patient would have to go visit a sleep lab or sleep center for an overnight study in their facility. This was an inconvenient and costly procedure that most people would prefer to avoid. Our practice uses the ARES system which patients can take home and wear in the comfort of their own home and bed while being tested. The device is as easy to wear as a baseball cap and it records detailed information about sleep quality and any sleep related breathing events that may occur. The data is then uploaded from the machine to our physician colleagues who provide medical interpretation and diagnosis.
Watch-PAT 300
The Watch-PAT 300 is an innovative diagnostic Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT) that utilizes the proprietary peripheral arterial tone signal (PAT) to enable simple and accurate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) testing while avoiding the complexity and discomfort associated with traditional air-flow based systems.