GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
1 in 5 adults suffers from some form of sleep-related breathing problems. Discover our solutions.
What does “getting back to sleep” mean?
Interview with Dr. med.dent. Anett Györe, certified user of the ResMed mandibular advancement tray. Dentist in Adent Windisch.
Recently, we have had several patients who have complained about being constantly tired and not getting enough sleep. In some cases, the partners complain of loud snoring, some of them already wake up with headaches. For others, it is difficult to concentrate on their work. Covid-19 has made the situation worse.
Daytime fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, increased daytime sleepiness, concentration and memory problems, depression, high blood pressure – cardiovascular events are the symptoms and consequences of obstructive sleep apnea, where breathing is disturbed during the night. Due to daytime sleepiness, the probability of road accidents is increased by 3 to 7 times. Obesity, male gender, advanced age, postmenopause in women, smoking and alcohol consumption are among the main risks.
If you also recognize certain symptoms, you may be one of the millions of people who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.
HOW DOES A DENTIST TREAT SLEEP DISORDERS?
There are generally 2 ways: either the family doctor detects it, or we dentists do. Depending on the symptoms, patients are first referred to a sleep doctor who makes a diagnosis and prescribes appropriate treatment. One form of treatment can be a lower jaw advancement tray, which we offer in our dental clinics in Muttenz, Rotkreuz and Windisch.
Everything you need to know about lower jaw advancement trays
How is this gutter made and what does it look like?
First, the dentists must confirm whether the patient is indeed a suitable candidate for the mandibular advancement tray. After the dental examination, we take an impression and some measurements of the mouth.
Once the specialized dental laboratory has received these impressions, a specially designed intraoral device is made for the patient. It is thin, light, discreet and contains no metal. Patients can even speak and drink before sleeping and open their mouths normally while wearing the mouthpiece, which is white in color so that even partners do not notice it.
What is the cost of such a special gutter?
The good news is that the health insurance fund will cover the full cost of the dentist and dental technician if the sleep doctor has prescribed the mouthpiece. This means that the health insurance fund will only pay for treatment in cases of sleep apnea.
Unfortunately, for patients who only snore, the treatment must be paid for by the patient themselves, but the laboratory offers a 90-day guarantee in the event of dissatisfaction. Studies show that 89% of patients confirm the disappearance of noisy snoring, so the laboratory is fully confident in the effectiveness and success of its mouthpieces.
If I feel concerned, where do I start?
The first point of contact is your family doctor. He or she must then refer to sleep specialists. After the examinations, the diagnosis is made and the treatments are prescribed, consequently, a referral to the dentist is given. Afterwards, we will discuss with you the desired course of treatment in a personalized manner.
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