Airway Evaluation
Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition that affects millions of Americans every night. It occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep, causing a person to gasp for air. Many people do not realize they have obstructive sleep apnea until a loved one notices that they snore or briefly stop breathing during the night.Most patients in our Charlotte office with sleep apnea do not wake during these events, so they have no memory or knowledge of any problems. Often, poor sleep quality is the first noticeable sign. Read More Common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include loud snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, morning headaches, and excessive daytime fatigue. Left untreated, sleep apnea is also associated with serious health risks, including high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and acid reflux (GERD). Excess weight is a common contributing risk factor.
How We Screen for Airway Concerns
Every patient at Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry receives an airway screening as part of our comprehensive new-patient experience. We begin with an airway screening questionnaire and review your reported symptoms, such as snoring, fatigue, or restless sleep. During your comprehensive exam, we also look for oral and anatomical signs associated with a compromised airway, including a narrow (constricted) dental arch, enlarged tonsils, and a large tongue. In addition, we capture advanced 3D CBCT imaging to evaluate the head and neck structures, including the airway. Because the scan is captured while you are seated upright, it gives us a realistic view of your airway. Every 3D CBCT scan is submitted to a board-certified radiology group for professional review and interpretation, and their reports help identify findings such as restricted airway volume, obstructed nasal passages, a deviated septum, or enlarged tonsils.
Our role is to identify risk factors and show you what we can see on your imaging and during your exam. We do not diagnose sleep apnea -- a formal diagnosis is made by a physician. When we identify elevated risk, including a significantly narrowed airway on your scan, we take the time to explain what we see and refer you to ENT and Sleep Medicine for a sleep evaluation to confirm your level of risk.
What We See During Sedation
Our practice offers a unique advantage. Many of our Smile Project patients choose sedation for their treatment, and during these visits, they are connected to monitoring equipment that tracks breathing, oxygen levels, and heart activity -- similar to the monitoring used in a sleep center. As a result, we uncover a high volume of previously unrecognized sleep apnea during sedation. While we cannot diagnose sleep apnea, we can observe these breathing events firsthand, share that information directly with you, and strongly encourage you to see a sleep medicine provider—and, in turn, a sleep center—for a definitive diagnosis.Treatment: Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliances for sleep apnea look similar to mouthguards or retainers. We provide Mandibular Advancement Devices (MADs) and other oral appliances that many patients prefer over a CPAP machine. They can be an excellent option -- and offer potentially life-changing benefits -- for patients who cannot or will not use CPAP. CPAP therapy is considered the gold standard for treating sleep apnea, yet studies show that more than half of patients prescribed a CPAP do not use it consistently. A custom oral appliance gently positions the lower jaw forward to help keep the airway open while you sleep, offering a more comfortable and more portable alternative. Each appliance is selected based on the patient's individual needs and custom-built just for them.For more information on obstructive sleep apnea treatments, visit https://medlineplus.gov/.
