To choose the best sleep apnea dentist, it first might be a good idea to research dentists in your area who have experience treating this sleep disorder. Consider factors such as cost and reputation. If you have dental insurance, you may want to find out which dental specialists accept your insurance provider. Many individuals searching for a sleep apnea dentist find that recommendations from friends and neighbors can be helpful resources. Web pages and other resources provided by local dentists can provide useful information regarding treatments that they offer for individuals who suffer from sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which an individual continuously stops breathing for periods of about 10 seconds during sleep. A common symptom of this sleep disorder is loud snoring. It is normally caused either by an obstruction in the airway or by the brain's inability to command normal breathing.
Dentists who treat sleep apnea may prescribe use of a sleep apnea machine. To use a machine, a patient attaches a mouth guard to his or her mouth before sleep. Machines like this should help affected individuals breathe normally by opening their upper airways.
Not all dentists offer sleep apnea treatments. It might be a good idea to use the Internet or a phone book to locate dental specialists in your area who treat this disorder. Sometimes it might be necessary to call various dental offices to inquire. In some instances, a dental office representative might be able to recommend the name of at least one sleep apnea dentist.
Once you have found a dentist who offers sleep apnea treatment, it can be a good idea to learn about the costs of treatment. A person who has a dental insurance plan should make sure that a sleep apnea dentist takes his or her insurance. This information also might be available through an individual's insurance company.
If you find that you have a choice of several potential sleep apnea dentists, you might want to consider methods of treatment and experience or reputation. While it is common for a sleep apnea dentist to prescribe use of sleep apnea machines, other dentists prefer alternative methods. For example, some dentists might favor surgical treatment while other might prescribe behavioral therapies.
Patients often feel more secure using dentists who have had years of experience treating sleep apnea. In some cases, dental web pages and other resources might list patient recommendations. If you know someone who also has been treated for sleep apnea, you might be able to get a recommendation from him or her.