Pittsburgh Dentist

Dr. Robert Rogers is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions bizymoms visitors have about Sleep Apnea.


Q. What is sleep apnea?

A. Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea both occur when a person s breathing passage in their throat collapses during sleep.  When the breathing passage partially collapses the tissues in the throat vibrate creating the noise we call snoring.  As the patient drops into deeper sleep the breathing passage completely collapses (obstructive sleep apnea) preventing any air at all from getting into or out of the lungs.  When this happens the oxygen in the blood falls while the CO2 in the blood begins to accumulate and the patient begins to suffocate.  The brain senses this problem and activates the body’ s sympathetic nervous system (" fight or flight system" ) which causes the heart to beat very quickly the blood pressure to rise suddenly and the brain to shift from deep refreshing sleep into a lighter non-refreshing sleep.  As the brain goes into a lighter sleep the muscles in the breathing passage automatically stiffen and open usually with a gasp or snort.  Once the breathing passage is open breathing resumes and the oxygen and CO2 levels in the blood normalize.  Unfortunately the brain is very sleepy and wants to go back into the deep refreshing sleep stages which once again cause the airway to collapse giving rise to snoring and then obstructive sleep apnea.  This cycles over and over sometimes hundreds of times per night.  The result is that the patient is deprived of most of their deep refreshing sleep each night and so they are tired and fatigued during the day.  In addition the constant rising and falling of oxygen and CO2 in the blood cause cardiovascular problems.  And the obnoxious snoring noise irritates the bed partner night after night disrupting their sleep.

Q. How does sleep apnea affect a person?

A. Snoring is an obnoxious noise that can disrupt the sleep of the bed partner causing them to be sleep deprived.  Sleep deprivation of the bed partner can lead to irritability during the day and increased risk of illness.  This has been termed " second hand snoring" . In addition snoring is socially unacceptable and embarrassing.    The most recent research is suggesting that snoring alone can negatively impact the health of those who snore.     Obstructive sleep apnea can disrupt sleep leading to sleepiness and fatigue during the day as described above.  Also the periodic racing of the heart spiking of blood pressure and the rising and falling of oxygen and CO2 in the blood numerous times each night lead to cardiovascular problems such as daytime high blood pressure and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.  The sleep deprivation that the apnea causes can lead to increased risk for depression diabetes decrease in sexual libido/impotence increased appetite and others.  The bottom line is that sleeping and breathing are critical for healthy living.

Q. Describe your success in treating sleep apnea patients?

A. Oral appliances to prevent upper airway collapse have been utilized for at least 25 years beginning in the mid-1980s.  Since that time a fair amount of scientific research has been published illustrating the effectiveness of oral appliances to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.  The research shows us that oral appliances are effective in treating mild and moderate obstructive sleep apnea 75% of the time.  Severe obstructive sleep apnea is successfully treated approximately 50% of the time or less and is unpredictable.  I have been practicing Dental Sleep Medicine since 1990 and have found this to be the case in my own personal experience.

Q. Describe your appliances you use in treating patients?

A. The appliances we use fit into the mouth and comfortably advance the lower jaw forward slightly during sleep.  This forward motion of the lower jaw allows the tissues in the back of the throat to open allowing for healthy breathing and sleep during the night.  The appliances look like an orthodontic retainer and easily fit over the top and bottom teeth.  Treatment with oral appliances is termed Oral Appliance Therapy.

Q. What other treatments do you specialize in?

A. Alternative treatment methods for obstructive sleep apnea include Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) which is very effective but difficult to tolerate for many people.  There are also surgical options to treat obstructive sleep apnea.

Q. How can one receive treatment for such cases?

A. Patients can receive Oral Appliance Therapy to treat their snoring or obstructive sleep apnea by calling our office at 724-935-6670.  Our website is very informative and patients should review it at www.pittsburghdentalsleepmedicine.com.  Prior to receiving an oral appliance all patient should have a diagnostic sleep test to see if they have obstructive sleep apnea or not.  No patients will be treated without a sleep test.  Sleep tests are easy to get by simply visiting the family doctor and describing the symptoms of snoring and daytime sleepiness.  The physician will order a sleep test to see if obstructive sleep apnea is present.  If it is the patient will most likely be offered a CPAP for treatment.  In cases of severe sleep apnea the patient will be treated best by CPAP.  Other mild and moderate cases may do very well with Oral Appliance Therapy.

Q. How to contact Dr. Rogers if we have further questions?    

A.
Address    : 11676 Perry Hwy.  Building III, Suite 3201  Wexford, PA 15090
Phone        : 724-935-6670
Email        : rogersrr3@comcast.net
Website    : www.pittsburghdentalsleepmedicine.com