Sleep Apnea Treatment

To discuss your symptoms with Dr. Van Slate, schedule a sleep apnea consultation today.

Diagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

There are two forms of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA). OSA occurs when throat muscles relax and block airways, and it is the most common form. Conversely, CSA occurs when the brain does not send proper breathing signals, and it requires treatment from a specialist. Patients who suffer from OSA often experience chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, morning headaches, and other concerns.

If you have noticed any of these symptoms — or if your partner has reported that you snore loudly or awaken abruptly during the night — Dr. Van Slate will first discuss your sleep habits during an initial consultation. In order to perform an accurate diagnosis, we will have you undergo a sleep study with the ApneaLink™ or MediByte® Jr. screening device. Worn while you sleep, the ApneaLink™ or MediByte® Jr. device will record breathing patterns and other valuable data. Dr. Van Slate will review the results of your sleep study to determine if you suffer from OSA.

When you wear your oral appliance, it will help to keep airways open so that you can get a full night's sleep.

Why Houston Chooses Dr. Van Slate

Dr. Van Slate has successfully treated people with snoring and sleep breathing issues for over 15 years by using Oral Appliance Therapy. These appliances comfortably position your jaw forward, keeping your airway open, while sleeping.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly starts and stops as our throat muscles relax, impeding oxygen flow into our body, through our nose and throat. The result is a dramatic decrease in our oxygen blood levels, which can eventually lead to serious problems with our heart and internal organs. A common symptom of apnea is gasping or choking noises while sleeping, that is most often witnessed by another person. Without oxygen, the brain sends a signal that wakes us up so we can breathe. This happens several times each night, so the person is unable to achieve a restful sleep.

Before Dr. Van Slate can treat you for a sleep breathing disorder, you must take a sleep study. We work with a company who sends the sleep study equipment directly to you, so you can take the sleep study from the comfort of your own home. Once you have completed the study, a sleep physician will read the data and make a formal diagnosis. Based on the results, you will be scored with normal, mild, moderate or severe apnea. 

If you are concerned that you might have a sleep breathing issue, the best thing to do for your overall health is to contact us for a consultation.

Common symptoms of sleep breathing problems (snoring and apnea):

• Frequent snoring with intermittent gasping and choking.
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Unexplained stress and anxiety
• Irritability and loss of focus
• Headaches
• TMJ pain
• Overweight, with a large neck circumference
• Large tongue
• Heightened gag reflex
• Allergies
• Dry mouth and open mouth breathing
• High blood pressure
• Gastroesophageal Reflux

The proper way to sleep is with our mouth closed and our tongue resting comfortably in the roof of the mouth. Open mouth breathing occurs when a person sleeps with their mouth open. These people often breathe with their mouth open even during the day. 

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a common tool used to diagnose sleep breathing disorders. Some of the questions are as follows: 

How likely are you to dose off when:

• Sitting and reading?
• Watching TV?
• Sitting inactive in a public place (theater or meeting)?
• As a passenger in a car for more than one hour without a break?
• Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit?
• Sitting and talking to someone?
• Sitting quietly after lunch, without alcohol?
• In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic?

Uncontrolled Sleep Apnea can shorten the average lifespan by 12-15 years and has many undesirable consequences that include:

• High Blood Pressure
• Heart Disease, Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy
• Stroke
• Sudden Cardiac Death
• Diabetes II
• Alzheimer’s Disease

Some things that can alleviate Sleep Apnea are as follows:

• Lose weight.
• Do not drink alcohol before bedtime.
• Take allergy medication, if needed
• Sleep on your side, not your back
• Exercise regularly to improve heart rhythm.
• Stop smoking
• Avoid sleeping pills
• Avoid sugary foods and refined carbohydrates.

Non-surgical Treatment for OSA

Dr. Van Slate can often effectively address symptoms of OSA with a custom oral appliance. After taking detailed impressions of your smile, we will use the advanced BioPAK Evaluation System to measure different neuromuscular functions and the strength of your bite. This information will then be used to create a custom oral appliance. Dr. Van Slate can recommend a device that fits in the mouth called an Oral Sleep Appliance. These appliances dramatically improve snoring and sleep apnea when worn nightly. For those with a more severe or advanced apnea score, we will refer you to a Sleep Center who will advise you on the benefits of CPAP treatment.

To treat Sleep Breathing issues, Dr. Van Slate uses the EVO Sleep Appliance by Prosomnus. To benefit from this appliance, you must wear it nightly. The EVO by Prosomnus is strong, durable and comfortable. It is milled by a computer, in a strong acrylic material, designed to last for years. Using TENS and BIOPAK technology, the EVO is fabricated to fit into your most comfortable bite position, so it does not put stress on the jaw muscles and TM joint, like many other sleep appliances do.

Ensuring Optimal Results

After beginning treatment, you will eventually undergo a second sleep study so that Dr. Van Slate can evaluate your progress. The ApneaLink™ or MediByte® Jr. and MicrO2™ oral appliance can be comfortably worn together during this second sleep study. Dr. Van Slate will compare the new data with the results of your first sleep study to determine if your oral appliance has been effective. Based on the findings, he will make any adjustments, if necessary. If we find that you are not responding to treatment, we can refer you to a sleep apnea specialist in the area.