Types of Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea & Snoring Treatment in Manahawkin, NJ

At Federici Dental, we strive to help our patients achieve comprehensive dental health - and this goes beyond just dental treatment. At our Manahawkin, NJ office, we're proud to work with both our patient's primary physicians and local respiratory pulmonologists to diagnose and treat snoring and sleep apnea disorders. If you or a loved one snore at night, trust Federici Dental, southern New Jersey's most experienced sleep apnea experts, to help you get a good night's rest again.

Oral Screenings & At-Home Sleep Studies

The first step in figuring out if you may have sleep apnea is figuring out your sleep patterns at night. Some good questions to ask yourself and your bed partner include the following:

• Do you have trouble sleeping at night?
• Do you feel fatigued during the day after a restless night in bed?
• Ask your partner if he or he notices if you snore, choke, gasp or stop breathing at any point at night.

The next steps would be to schedule an oral screening at our office, and answering sleep-related questions to determine if an at-home sleep test is right for you. If we need to order a sleep study, we'll work with your primary physician to ensure this is covered under your medical insurance, so none of your dental benefits will be used. 

Once we receive your sleep test results, we can work with you to develop the best treatment method for you. To learn more about the two primary treatments for sleep apnea, which include the CPAP machine and oral appliances, visit our sleep apnea treatment page.

We've outlined the various types of sleep apnea that we can help diagnose from your sleep test below. Of course, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

The most common form of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA. OSA occurs when the air passages in the throat don't stay open correctly during sleep. The muscles in the throat naturally relax during sleep, which can allow the tongue or the tissues of the throat to sag, partially blocking airflow. Normally, this isn't an issue - but in people with OSA, it can cause an event called an apnea. 

An apnea occurs when the throat relaxes enough that the airway closes completely. At this point, the brain will partially wake from sleep, to send a signal to open the throat, and then return to sleep. Usually, this "waking" isn't significant enough to register as "waking up" for the sufferer. In fact, many people suffer from severe sleep apnea and don't even know it, because they have no memory of any problems during sleep. OSA can range from mild, where 5-15 apneas occur in an hour, to severe, where 30 or more apneas occur in an hour. 

Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea still causes apneas in the way that OSA does, but the problem is reversed: instead of the muscles relaxing too much, central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs when the brain fails to send signals to the muscles that control the breathing process. Generally speaking, CSA is more severe than OSA and will require more extensive treatment - while an oral appliance may sufficiently treat OSA, most cases of CSA require a CPAP machine. 

Mixed/Complex Sleep Apnea

In mixed, or complex sleep apnea, a patient experiences both obstructive and central sleep apnea symptoms. In other words, mixed sleep apnea causes both the throat muscles and the breathing muscles to fail during sleep. Mixed sleep apnea is generally more difficult to treat and may require a multifaceted approach, but treatments like bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) or Adaptive-servo ventilation can offer treatment. 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS)

This condition refers to obstructive sleep apnea that is so severe that no air can get through the airway, causing repeated, significant awakenings during the night. Often, this condition is marked by loud snoring. OSAS is a more serious form of OSA and warrants medical attention, as the blocked airways can cause a variety of problems ranging from high blood pressure to heart attack. 

You Deserve a Good Night's Sleep!

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can greatly impact your quality of life - and if you believe that you or a loved may be suffering, we can help. Simply ask about about sleep apnea services at your next appointment, and we'd be happy to work with you to schedule a consultation. If you're a potential patient and are looking to get a good night's rest, we invite you to give us a call at (609) 597-1234 or complete our online appointment request form. We look forward to helping you get back to restful, replenishing sleep.