Sleep Apnea Treatment
If you snore loudly or wake up feeling fatigued, you may suffer from a serious condition called sleep apnea.
Drs. Charles and Patrick Casey at Smile Montreal, QC, provide experienced sleep apnea treatment, allowing you to sleep soundly once again.
Find out how our highly trained team can address your sleep disorder and improve your quality of life...
About Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing patterns are interrupted during sleep. This cessation of breath can occur hundreds of times a night. Unfortunately, this is sometimes the catalyst for more serious health conditions, including chronic daytime sleepiness, headaches, and even a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
Do I Suffer from Sleep Apnea? Common Symptoms:
Sleep apnea causes your breathing to become shallow or even stop while you sleep. While you may not notice the airflow restriction while you rest, there are several common symptoms characterized by this sleep disorder.
People who suffer from sleep apnea experience a fitful night's sleep, even if they don't know it. If you wake up after a full night's rest feeling fatigued or forgetful, or have trouble concentrating, you may be experiencing a lack of restorative sleep.
Snoring occurs when the soft tissue in the back of the throat relaxes and blocks the upper airway. While it’s true that snoring can occur with age and weight gain, it is also indicative of obstructive sleep apnea, and it should not be accepted as an ordinary condition.
Sleep apnea can make it more likely you breathe through your mouth, causing dry mouth. This is often accompanied by a sore throat when awakening. Additionally, bruxism, or teeth grinding, may occur subconsciously to tighten the muscles of your airway when you sleep, preventing the jaw from sliding backward.
When your brain senses an inability to breathe, it will briefly rouse you from sleep in order to reopen your airway. Sufferers may find themselves waking suddenly, having night sweats, or getting up to use the restroom frequently. A loved one may notice interruptions in your breathing, or hear you gasping for air in the night.
"Well done Dr. Casey Sr. & Dr. Casey Jr. and all the wonderful staff!"
Sue Winslow-Spragge
2019
A family run office that has been in business for over 50 years. Both Father and Son Dentists, as well as their Hygienists are professional and remain on the cutting edge of technology. Everyone is caring and friendly. Highly recommended.
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Leigh Kenney
2019
I always have a pleasant experience at Smile Montreal. I know the staff works extremely hard yet they always take the time to create a welcoming atmosphere for their patients. Well done Dr. Casey Sr. & Dr. Casey Jr. and all the wonderful staff!!
View On GoogleWhat to Expect during Treatment
When you schedule a consultation at Smile Montreal, QC, we can screen you for the condition and begin to discuss ways to treat your sleep disorder.
Sleep Study
In order to screen for sleep apnea, you may need to participate in an overnight sleep study. At Smile Montreal, we utilize Watch-PAT™ technology so patients can perform the sleep study in the comfort of their own home. The Watch-PAT device attaches to your fingers to measure the body's physiological reactions overnight. With this data, we are able to verify whether your symptoms are the result of a sleep disorder.
Diagnosis
After reviewing the results of your screening, Dr. Casey will be able to diagnose your condition and pinpoint your type of sleep apnea. There are three common variations of this sleep disorder. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common and occurs when throat muscles or other soft tissue relaxes, blocking the upper airway. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain doesn't send the muscles proper signals to control breathing. This requires the attention of a specialist. On rare occasions, we find patients suffer from complex sleep apnea syndrome, which occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.
Oral Appliances
Treatment at our Montreal practice focuses on freeing the obstructed airway to facilitate healthy breathing. For moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, we usually recommend a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. A continuous positive airway pressure device increases air pressure in your throat through a mask you wear overnight. For patients who are unable to tolerate CPAPs, we recommend custom oral appliances. The SomnoMed oral appliance is worn during sleep and resembles an orthodontic retainer. The appliance repositions the lower jaw and pushes it forward, preventing the tongue from blocking the airway to facilitate normal breathing. Sometimes, the treatment options are combined for the best results.
Treating Sleep Apnea Can Improve Your Overall Wellbeing
Still Not Sure You Need a Screening? Use the Epworth Sleepiness Scale
To determine your level of daytime sleepiness, fill out the Epworth Sleepiness Scale below using the following:
0 = would never doze or sleep
1 = slight chance of dozing or sleeping
2 = moderate chance of dozing or sleeping
3 = high chance of dozing or sleeping
If you score a 10 or higher, we recommend consulting our doctors. It may be that you have an underlying sleep disorder, require more adequate sleep, or need to improve your sleep hygiene.
| Situation | Chance of Dozing or Sleeping |
| Sitting and reading | ____ |
| Watching TV | ____ |
| Sitting inactive in a public place | ____ |
| Being a passenger in a motor vehicle for an hour or more | ____ |
| Lying down in the afternoon | ____ |
| Sitting and talking to someone | ____ |
| Sitting quietly after lunch (no alcohol) | ____ |
| Stopped for a few minutes in traffic while driving |
____ |
| Total score (add the scores up) (This is your Epworth score) |
____ |
