Four members of our staff(Bobi, Brandee, Jamie, and Tania) also attended the Triangle Dental Institute with Dr. Ledford and were certified by the Association of Dental Implant Auxiliaries(a component society of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists).  Congratulations to them!

Studies conducted for nearly a decade in Spain concluded that of the nearly two million Spanish people showing symptoms of Sleep Apnea requiring treatment, only 5% were conclusively diagnosed. In 2009, The Snoring and Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment Unit was opened in Universidad de Barcelona’s Josep Finestres Foundation-Dental Clinic. This specialized clinic is devoted solely “to the study and treatment of respiratory sleep disorders from a novel perspective that places dentists at the center of the research, diagnosis and treatment.”

The team, initially culminating in 2000 through an informal collaboration agreement between experts Maribel Pascual and Carme Monasterio, was the first in Spain to introduce the study of treatments for respiratory sleep disorders by way of mandibular advancement devices (MAD). Pascual explained that not only are Sleep Apnea and other sleep deprivation illnesses a strain on the health of the individual, but subsequently produce a significant strain on “the healthcare system, and generate substantial expense”.

Pascual went onto explain how dentists are the key to early diagnosis and that they play a vital role in detecting diseases associated with dental health, as well as facilitating earlier and less costly treatments for snoring and Sleep Apnea. In the case of Sleep Apnea, failure to treat the disorder in its early stages can increase the cost of subsequent treatment by two to three times its initial expense.

Because of depreciated oxygen in the brain, and less REM sleep, Obstructive Sleep Apnea has many daytime consequences. Patients with disrupted sleep cannot concentrate, think, or remember as well during the day. This has been shown to cause more accidents in the work place and while driving. Thus, people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea have a three-fold greater risk of a car accident than the general population.  Daytime sleepiness, fatigue, headaches, irritability, poor memory and attention span are some of the other common symptoms associated with sleep apnea as a result of consistently less restful sleep.

http://www.ashevilledental.com/sleep-apnea/

Dr. Jeremy Ledford, of Asheville Dental, recently become a member of the Somnomed Academy after receiving training to diagnose sleep apnea and can provide an appropriate oral device for treatment locally in Asheville, NC. Oral sleep appliances can be used as an alternative to a CPAP mask or surgery to effectively treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA, often associated with snoring, is caused by changes in you airway while sleeping. As you sleep, your airway may narrow, resulting in limited airflow as you breathe. This can cause you soft tissue to vibrate (snoring), or it may completely collapse, causing you to stop breathing (OSA). Symptoms commonly associated with OSA include: snoring, fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, reduced resistance to infection, and choking or grasping for breath. In the past, the only effective treatment for sleep apnea was CPAP mask, or surgery. However, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, oral appliances are as effective as the CPAP mask for treating mild and moderate cases. Sleep-related oral appliances look similar to orthodontic retainers or teeth whitening trays. They open the airway by altering the position of the lower jaw.

The SomnoMed device is different from other oral treatments by its unique design. Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS), is a comfortable, effective, custom-made option. SomnoDent MAS can be worn with dentures. And can be fitted over dental implants. Dr. Ledford can, in his office, provide a personalized fit for the upper and lower jaw. The MAS is constructed in two separate pieces that allow patients to open and close their mouths. This allows clear speech, yawning and drinking without requiring the patient to remove the appliance. The ability to communicate clearly while wearing the device is particularly appreciated by patients and their partners. Many oral appliances do not have these benefits. The device (MAS) is small, made to fit each individual’s mouth, and allows for sleeping with mouth closed. This minimizes excessive salivation, dribbling, dry mouth and other common side-effects from wearing oral appliances.

One recent patient of Dr. Ledford was asked about his new MAS mouthpiece, and stated, “Dr. Ledford has fixed me up with a SomnoMed oral mouth guard for my sleep apnea. No more weekly and monthly maintenance fees. No more looking like some weird space creature with hoses coming out of my mouth. No more sleepless nights for my wife from the sound of my old machine running. Now when I travel my sleep apnea device easily travels with me.”

Following a prelimnary screening and diagnosis, Dr. Ledford now offers the SomnoDent MAS right here in Asheville, NC. This type of treatment is filed with medical insurance, and most insurance companies will pay for a custom fitted oral appliance like the SomnoDent MAS.

Contact us for more information.

This post is in response to the recent NY times article found here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/us/23scan.html?_r=1