The Result of Sleep Deprivation

A recent blog article by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASDM) highlighted a few of the facts about sleep deprivation. The author writes, "Chronic sleep deprivation can affect attention levels, reaction time and mood, leading to decreased productivity at work, increased family stress, and potential health problems, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)."

Many of us have experienced a few nights of disturbed sleep, but eventually catch up on sleep and fall back into the usual sleep cycle. However, continual sleep deprivation caused by a sleeping disorder, or any other cause for that matter, results in daytime productivity, mood, and quality of life changes. Sleeping disorders not only disrupt your night, but also impact your level of activity during the day. 


The article also recommends the optimum amount of sleep needed for good health. For preschoolers, the best amount of sleep ranges from 11 to 13 hours a night. Older children in school should be allowed 10 to 11 hours of sleep, teens must have at least nine hours, and adults should have seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

It is important to recognize your body's need for sleep, and how it impacts your quality of life. Even if you do not suffer for a sleeping disorder, choose to not suffer from the results of chronic sleep deprivation by getting enough sleep at night. 


Read more on Dr. Norman Blumenstock and Sleep Apnea Treatments.

The Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine Mission

Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine is dedicated to helping those who suffer from sleeping disorders. We understand that sleep is very important to one's overall mental and physical health, and we strive to make sure that every patient will have restful sleep.

Our mission at the Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine is to help sleep disorder sufferers find REAL solutions to their sleep problems. Oral therapies and simple appliances can make a huge difference in your life. We encourage you to read through the vast amount of information available on our website, ask questions, and maybe do a little bit of research on your own. You will find that a good night's sleep is completely within your reach with the help of professionals from Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine.

Read more on Dr. Norman Blumenstock and Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine.

Additional Facts about Sleep Apnea

According to the AADSM (American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine) blog, sleep experts estimate that 80 to 90 percent of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients are undiagnosed and consequently untreated. 80 to 90 percent is an overwhelmingly high percentage of people who suffer while sleeping at night. Many of these people do not even realize that they have a problem. They are unaware of waking up throughout the night just to breathe. It is usually a bed partner that often detects problems associated with OSA due to loud snoring that generally accompanies the breathing disorder.

Because most dentists often see patients on a regular basis, they have the capability to screen patients for sleep apnea. There are many successful ways to test for being at risk for OSA. Ask your dentist to screen you for OSA, and if necessary recommend a sleep physician for diagnosis and treatment.

If you wake up tired, irritable, and feeling tired in the morning, then ask to be tested for OSA at your next dental appointment. It could mean a future of a full night's sleep, and a restful morning.

Read more on Dentist Norman Blumenstock and his experience with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Different Types of Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea

Once you have met with Dr. Blumenstock, an oral appliance will be chosen to best fit your situation. There are many types of oral appliances to meet many different needs.

One option is called the SomnoMed MAS. It is a custom-made device, consisting of upper and lower dental plates with a unique feature that allows normal mouth opening and closing. The jaw is only moved as far as needed to alleviate snoring and sleep apnea. Elastic Mandibular Advancement appliance or EMA, was created for noninvasive treatment of snoring and sleep apnea. Interchangeable elastic pieces on the appliance offer varying degrees of adjustment and overall TMJ comfort. Another device, the TAP, or the Thornton Adjustable Positioner, is an appliance that holds the lower jaw forward. This prevents the tongue and soft tissue of the throat from collapsing into the airway. It is easily adjusted and the adjustment handle acts as snoring volume control. As snoring is reduced, the airway is opened.

There are many other oral appliances offered by Dr. Blumenstock. The most important thing to understand is that many years of experience grant him an exceptional ability to successfully match you to the correct oral appliance.

Read more on Dr. Blumenstock.

Oral Appliances 101

There are many ways to treat sleep apnea. Besides using a CPAP machine or lifestyle change, oral appliances are an excellent option. Oral Appliance therapy is the selection, design, fitting and use of a specially designed oral appliance. When worn during sleep, it maintains an opened, unobstructed airway in the throat. Oral appliances that treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are devices worn in the mouth, and are similar to orthodontic retainers or mouth-guards. They have several advantages over other forms of therapy. Oral appliances are comfortable, easy to wear and care for. They are small and convenient, making them easy to carry with you when you travel. Treatment with oral appliances is a smart non-invasive solution.

After referral from a physician, you can make an appointment to receive a thorough oral examination by Dr. Blumenstock. He will then discuss all options, advantages, limitations, and consequences of an oral appliance. After you are fitted with the oral appliance that should work best for you, we’ll take any needed time to adjust the appliance to a comfortable and effective position. If you suffer from sleep apnea, make an appointment with us today!

Interview with Dr. Blumenstock, Sleep Apnea Dentist

Dr. Blumenstock has been working with sleep apnea patients for over 20 years. Earlier in his experience, he realized many of his dental patients had headaches. Many of these patients did not respond to TMJ treatments. Dr Blumenstock discovered that they all had one thing in common, sleep issues.

Before the 1980's, tracheostomy was the most common cure for people with sleep apnea. This is a surgical procedure that involves cutting a hole in the lower neck to penetrate the trachea. Later, in Australia, the first CPAP machine was invented by putting a vacuum cleaner in reverse and attaching it to the face. As time progressed, another surgical treatment for sleep apnea appeared. Surgery on the soft palate was an option for people suffering from sleeplessness. This type of surgery was not successful for every case. The surgery was successful for those patients choking in a specific location. It wasn't until oral appliances arrived that many more patients where treated successfully. Most oral appliances push the jaw and tongue forward to reduce the conditions of sleep apnea.

Today, there are many different appliances for different situations. It takes the experience of professionals like Dr. Blumenstock to know which appliance will work the best for each situation.

Read more on Sleep Apnea Dentist

New Jersey Sleep Society, Inc - Annual Educational Symposium - Nov. 12 & 13, 2010

National Conference Center at the Holiday Inn East Windsor, NJ
399 Monmouth Street East Windsor, NJ 08520
(609) 443-8000

Course Program

Friday • November 12, 2010

2:00 — 3:00pm
REGISTRATION • VISIT EXHIBITS • REFRESHMENTS

3:00 — 3:10pm
Welcome
Lee J. Brooks, MD, President, NJSS

3:10 — 4:10pm
How Do Circadia Rhythms and Sleep-Wake Regulatory
Systems Affect Sleep Patterns?
Mary A. Carskadon, PhD
Learning Objectives: review circadian rhythms terminology and basics of circadian biology; examine sleep-wake homeostasis and how it affects sleep; describe how the circadian timing system and sleep-wakehomeostatic processes interact to enhance or interfere with sleep

4:10 — 4:45pm
REFRESHMENT BREAK • VISIT EXHIBITS

4:45 — 5:45pm
How Do Circadian and Sleep-Wake Regulation change During Adolescent Development?
Mary A. Carskadon, PhD
Learning Objectives: review developmental stages in adolescence and secular trends in puberty; describe how circadian phase is changed during adolescence; review changes in sleep-wake homeostasis that accompany adolescence; examine consequences of these developmental changes

5:45 — 6:45pm
Adult vs. Pediatric Respiratory Rules in Adolescents
Ignacio E. Tapia, MD
Learning Objectives: discuss the AASM respiratory scoring criteria; clarify which scoring criteria should be used in adolescents

6:45 — 7:30pm
PRE-DINNER RECEPTION • VISIT EXHIBITS

7:30 — 9:30pm
DINNER and Sleep in Astronauts
Erin E. Flynn-Evans, PhD, RPSGT
Learning Objectives: educate on the challenges of sleeping in extreme environments; educate on wake and sleep promoting countermeasures and their effectiveness during spaceflight

Saturday • November 13, 2010

7:00 — 8:00am
REGISTRATION • VISIT EXHIBITS • BREAKFAST

8:00 — 9:00am
Fatigue Management for All
Kingman P. Strohl, MD
Learning Objectives: discuss the warning signs of sleepiness and fatigue as a manifestation of brain function; list the factors that promote and countermeasures that reduce fatigue and sleepiness in medicine, nursing, and sleep technology

9:00 — 10:00am
Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Breathing Disorders
Steven D. Bender, DDS
Learning Objectives: discuss how to determine which patients may benefit from oral appliance therapy; explain how to appropriately titrate an oral device; discuss the benefit of combined therapy utilizing CPAP and oral appliances in patients with severe obstructive sleep breathing disorders

10:00 — 10:45am
REFRESHMENT BREAK • VISIT EXHIBITS

10:45 — 11:45am
Women and Sleep

Joyce A. Walsleben, RN, PhD
Learning Objectives: discuss the unique issues with women and sleep; discuss effective treatments for women with sleep issues

11:45 — 12:45pm
Sleep and Fatigue in Transportation Safety
Christopher A. Hart
Learning Objectives: highlight the major fatigue and sleep issues in transportation; catalyze thinking about how to address those issues

12:45 — 2:15pm
LUNCH • VISIT EXHIBITS

Membership Meeting and Elections


2:15 — 3:15pm
The Appropriate Treatment of Mild Sleep Apnea
David Schulman, MD, MPH
Learning Objectives: discuss using data gleaned from patient history and polysomnography to determine which patients with mild sleep apnea require therapy; recommend different therapeutic options to mild sleep apnea patients based upon anatomic factors and disease severity

3:15 — 4:15pm
Federal and New Jersey Regulatory Update
Martin L. Monaco, Jr., Esq.
Learning Objectives: update on New Jersey and Federal regulatory provisions; discuss suitable joint ventures permitted in New Jersey under the changes to the Codey law

What Should You Know About Sleeping Disorders

Sleep disorders can involve sleeping difficulties such as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, falling asleep at inappropriate times, excessive sleep, or abnormal behaviors associated with sleep. Dr. Blumenstock specializes in a sleeping disorder known as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when breathing is interrupted during sleep. A person with this disorder may stop breathing repeatedly during sleeping hours. This could happen sometimes hundreds of times during one night of sleep. Ceasing breathing during any time means the brain and the rest of the body does not receive the oxygen they need to function.

Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even children. You may be at risk for sleep apnea if you fall under one of the following categories: male in gender, being overweight, prone to snoring, over the age of forty, having a neck size of 17 inches or greater for men and 16 inches or greater for women, having large tonsils, large tongue, or small jaw bone, having family history of sleep apnea, having GERD, and any nasal obstruction due to deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems.

Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping disorder. If you are suspicious or fall into any of the above categories, you should look into being tested. Make an appointment with Dr. Blumenstock today, and be one step closer to better sleep.

Read more on Sleep Apnea in NJ

Notes from an Interview with Dr. Blumenstock

An interview with Dr. Blumenstock on sleep apnea revealed some interesting facts. Dr. Blumenstock related that snoring which sounds like gasping is actually choking. The weight of your tongue can block your throat, or you muscles relax to cause gasping and choking of snoring. Jaw structure and tongue size also affect one's breathing at night, and creates the potential to suffer from sleep apnea.

He also mentioned that sleep apnea is also related to quality of life issues such as being diabetic, overweight, and having high blood pressure. Sixty percent of people that develop sleep apnea fall into one of the above categories. It is very important to make health a priority when it starts to affect your quality of sleep.

Sleep apnea is 1 of 3 sleep breathing disorders. With sleep apnea, the airway in the back of the throat closes eighty to one hundred percent. This leads to gasping/snoring and a decrease in oxygen in your blood flow. Snoring is often a good indicator of this sleeping disorder. However, just because you don't snore, does not mean you do not have a sleeping disorder. Sometimes one's throat may only close about fifty percent, which is not enough to cause snoring. This issue causes people to wake up tired, irritated, and feel like they have stayed awake all night.

Sleep apnea is a serious disorder, and should be treated as such.

Read more on Sleep Apnea Dentist Dr. Norman Blumenstock

Dr. Blumenstock and Sleep Apnea

Did you know that Dr. Blumenstock is your dental sleep expert in New Jersey and surrounding areas? He has taken hundreds of hours of postgraduate education, as well as his 20-year plus focus on sleep medicine. He is passionate about what he does and can help improve your overall health.

Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine cooperates with medical doctors to make sure your individual situation is fully addressed with an objective medical assessment. Dr. Blumenstock and his staff work with physicians and specialists such as neurologists, pulmonologists, and ENT physicians to help with this initial medical assessment.

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are medical problems, and should be treated by qualified professionals. We have your best interest in mind.

Once you receive a referral from a physician, you will obtain a thorough oral examination by Dr. Blumenstock. From there the best plan for your specific situation will be discussed and implemented.

Our services do not end there, however, we recommend a follow-up evaluation to ensure your satisfaction and to objectively document the effectiveness of the therapy. Are you ready to sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed? Give us a call for more information on how you can get started.

Read more on oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea in NJ

Sleep Apnea Therapy

There are several different options to the treatment of sleep apnea. One common treatment is behavioral therapy. Behavioral changes are an important part of treatment, and in some cases behavioral therapy may be all that is needed. Use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills should be avoided because they make the airway more likely to collapse during sleep and prolong the apneic periods. Patients who are overweight can benefit from losing weight, and even 10 percent weight loss can reduce the number of apneic events for most patients. For those with mild sleep apnea, breathing pauses occur only when they sleep on their backs. In such cases, using pillows and other devices to aid sleeping in a side position has proven beneficial.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a common effective therapy for sleep apnea. With the CPAP, the patient wears a mask during sleep, and pressure from an air blower forces air through the nasal passages. The air pressure can be adjusted so that it is just enough to prevent the throat from collapsing during sleep. The pressure from the CPAP is constant and continuous. Variations in this therapy are available to minimize side effects such as nasal irritation, facial skin irritation, abdominal bloating, mask leaks, sore eyes, and headaches. The variations can be changing the air pressure to coincide with a person's breathing pattern. Although the CPAP has been proven a successful therapy of sleep apnea, patients regularly complain about its lack of comfort.

Fortunately oral sleep appliances and therapy have proven to be a viable alternative to CPAP. For those who are accustomed to the use of CPAP, but would rather not travel with the machine, it is possible that oral appliances can be used just as effectively. Oral appliances are also a good alternative for those individuals who are intolerant to CPAP.

Read more on Sleep Medicine

Sleep Apnea Facts

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that is far more common than generally understood. It was first described in 1965, and was characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. In Greek, the word "apnea" means, "want of breath." Generally, there are two types of sleep apnea: central and obstructive. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type and occurs when air cannot flow in or out of the nose or mouth although efforts to breathe continue. The less common type, central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles that cause respirations.

In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses or "apneic events" may be as high as 40 per hour. These pauses are almost can be accompanied by snoring, although not everyone who snores has this condition. In addition to snoring, sleep apnea can also be characterized by choking sensations. The frequent interruptions of deep, restorative sleep leads to early morning headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness, and irritability.

Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is important because it is a potentially life-threatening condition. Sleep Apnea can be associated with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Get diagnosed, and get treatment today.

Read more on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment

Information Behind the CPAP Machine

The most common treatment of sleep apnea is a CPAP machine. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Air Pressure. It uses a constant flow of air to keep the breathing passages open. A patient wears a mask that receives the airflow from a machine located next to the bed. When used efficiently, the CPAP machine has close to 100% effectiveness for sleep apnea. But, there is a 50% success rate due to patient's inability to tolerate the machine. Many complain that it is noisy, restricts movement, and causes side effects such as dry throat and raw skin where the mask is worn.

Fortunately there are alternatives to the CPAP machine. Oral sleep appliances and therapy have proven to be a viable alternative to CPAP. For those who like the use of CPAP, but would rather not travel with the machine, it is possible that oral appliances can be used just as effectively. Oral appliances are also a good alternative for those individuals who are intolerant to CPAP. There is now a hybrid therapy with CPAP causing the air pressure of the CPAP to be lowered to a more comfortable level and to eliminate air leaks and tight masks. Finally, adjunctive usage means that there can be days off from CPAP usage like for camping and business trips. Some of the benefits of an oral appliance over the CPAP are: no uncomfortable masks or hoses, does not promote claustrophobia like the CPAP can, tolerated much better than CPAP, and no mask impression left on the face.

Dr. Blumenstock has treated many patients who have not been able to tolerate the CPAP, and seek alternative treatment. Within 4-6 treatments you can be fitted with an oral appliance, which is an effective solution for most sleep apnea cases. The biggest benefit is that you and your spouse can actually sleep in the same bed!

Read more on oral sleep appliances

The Best Sleep Apnea Treatment: CPAP vs. Oral Appliances: A Question of Compliance and Effectiveness

[PR-USA.net] — What is the best sleep apnea treatment? It is not CPAP, according to a recent study that showed 60% of patients abandon CPAP use. At least it is not the best treatment for the 60% of patients who abandoned it. This does not mean CPAP is not the most effective treatment, what it means is no matter how effective a treatment may be, it is a poor treatment if it is not used. Oral appliances are an extremely effective treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea but less effective for morbidly obese patients and those with severe sleep apnea.

Oral appliances are the “Best Sleep Apnea Treatment” because patients actually use them. Compliance issues have always been the biggest problem with CPAP. Studies have shown most patients quit CPAP completely but even patients who use CPAP average only 4-5 hours/ night 4-5 nights a week. That is not the best treatment but it is better than no treatment. The best site for information on oral appliance therapy and dental sleep medicine is http://www.ihatecpap.com.

Medicare recognized how poor CPAP compliance was and now has minimum usage schedules for CPAP that will save Medicare millions of dollars because such a small percentage of patients actually utilize their machines on a regular basis.

CPAP is the “best treatment” for the 25% of patients who love their CPAP, and use it all night, every night.

Oral appliances may be less effective across a range of all patients at eliminating sleep apnea but they are much more effective at achieving patient compliance. A treatment that is used will always be superior to a treatment that is not used.

Oral appliance success can be greatly improved by titration of appliances in the sleep lab. When an appliance eliminates sleep apnea based on a sleep study it is effectively equivalent to CPAP. The issue of compliance almost always favors oral appliances but objective monitors for oral appliance use are not yet available. They probably will be available in the very near future making oral appliances a leading choice of sleep medicine physicians who care about patients desires.

The best treatment is one that works and is used. For most patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea the best treatment is an oral appliance due to much higher compliance. If compliance is equal and CPAP or appliances are equally effective than both would qualify as the best treatment. The patient can chose their desired treatment. Studies have shown the majority of patients offered a choice prefer a comfortable oral appliance over CPAP.

Some severe sleep apnea patients refuse CPAP, for those patients an oral appliance is superior to “no treatment”.

CPAP is almost always the best treatment for the morbidly obese patients but an oral appliance is still better than no treatment if CPAP is refused.

There are patients who are severe and/or morbidly obese and the “best treatment” is actually combination treatment of an oral appliance and CPAP combined. A mask retained by the teeth instead of straps may be considerably more comfortable for many patients and lower pressure from combined use makes CPAP easier to tolerate.

The best treatment may be CPAP but with a custom made nasal mask that is made from an impression of the patients face similar to how dentures are made. Custom masks combined with oral appliances are a new entry in the field coming from airway management.

Cleanliness is of major importance with both CPAP and oral appliance treatments. Dirty masks and hoses can lead to sinus infections, bronchitis and pneumonia while poor oral hygiene with an oral appliance can lead to periodontal disease. Dr Shapira advise all patients to keep their masks and hoses scrupulously clean. It is vital to be just as thorough in cleaning oral appliances and in maintaining oral hygiene care when wearing an oral appliance. They are not well suited for patients who do not regularly brush their teeth.

What is the best CPAP mask for patients who utilize CPAP? Studies have shown that different masks and machines usually do not increase patient compliance but they do increase comfort for patients who actually use CPAP. Other studies have shown that patients’ usage of CPAP initially predicts long term compliance with CPAP. Patients who reject CPAP initially rarely embrace CPAP use in the long term. What is the best CPAP mask? A mask the patient actually uses. This will be very patient specific.

What is the best type of CPAP machine? There is standard CPAP machines that come in many styles and shapes. The industry has done a good job of making CPAP machines quieter and smaller. BiPAP machines have lower pressure during expiration that reduces claustrophobic feelings in some patients and often eliminates the sensation of drowning on air. Ramping is a gradual increase in pressure allowing patients to fall asleep prior to pressure increasing. Humidification and heated hoses are also increasing patient comfort. Unfortunately all of these advances have not been shown to increase overall patient compliance.

Servo-ventilation machines are more efficient and effective in treating central sleep apnea, which is a neurological condition where the brain “forgets” to breathe.

The best sleep apnea treatment is always patient specific. The 60% of patients who do not tolerate CPAP will likely find comfortable oral appliances are the best treatment.

A small minority of patients do not tolerate CPAP or oral appliances. The best treatment for these patients may be surgery.

What is the best sleep apnea surgery? The morbidly obese and extremely severe sleep apneics may find that a tracheotomy is the best treatment. Patients breathe through their throat bypassing the pharyngeal blockages. Most patients do not want a trach.

Soft palate surgery is almost never the best sleep apnea treatment. UP3 or Uvulopalatopharyngealplasty is painful and has very high morbidity but more importantly rarely eliminates sleep apnea and patients still require CPAP or oral appliance therapy. Pillars, somnoplasty, LAUP or laser-assisted uvuloplasty are less painful but still ineffective in treating most apnea patients completely.

Maxilo mandibular advancement is extremely effective but is major surgery where the upper jaw (maxilla) is cut loose from the skull and often split in pieces, the lower jaw (mandible) is sectioned into 3 pieces and the hyoid bone is sectioned in pieces and then the patient is wired shut for six weeks. This surgery is often very successful. A geniohyoid surgery is less invasive only splitting the lower jaw in pieces and advancing the chin and tongue. While it is effective in patients with severely recessed lower jaws (weak chin) in most patients it is the “Jay Leno” surgery creating his unique profile.

For severely obese patients with severe sleep apnea bariatric surgery may be the best sleep apnea treatment.

It is also possible to do several tongue reduction surgeries that vary in effectiveness. Dr Shapira suggests that patients attempt CPAP and/or Oral Appliances before considering surgery. Patients with blocked nasal airways frequently improve with partial turbinectomies and correction of deviated septums but while helpful this will usually not eliminate sleep apnea.

Dr Shapira reminds patients of the famous quote: “There is no disease or disorder known to man that can’t be made worse by sticking a knife in it.” This does not mean to avoid surgery cautions Dr Shapira but rather to approach any surgery with caution and consider the possible problems associated with surgery.

Information on the dangers of sleep apnea, sleep apnea treatment and comfortable oral appliances is available at http://www.ihatecpap.com.

Dr Ira L Shapira is an author and section editor of Sleep and Health Journal, President of I HATE CPAP LLC, President Dato-TECH, and has a Dental Practice with his partner Dr Mark Amidei. He has recently formed Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine Associates. He is a Regent of ICCMO and its representative to the TMD Alliance, He was a founding and certified member of the Sleep Disorder Dental Society which became the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, A founding member of DOSA the Dental Organization for Sleep Apnea. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, A Diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management, a graduate of LVI. He is a former assistant professor at Rush Medical School’s Sleep Service where he worked with Dr Rosalind Cartwright who is a founder of Sleep Medicine and Dental Sleep Medicine. Dr Shapira is a consultant to numerous sleep centers and teaches courses in Dental Sleep Medicine in his office to doctors from around the U.S. He is the Founder of I HATE CPAP LLC and http://www.ihatecpap.com Dr Shapira also holds several patents on methods and devices for the prophylactic minimally invasive early removal of wisdom teeth and collection of bone marrow and stem cells. Dr Shapira is a licensed general dentist in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Source: http://www.shiftworkdisorder.com/the-best-sleep-apnea-treatment-cpap-vs-oral-appliances-a-question-of-compliance-and-effectiveness-101439.html

Behavioral Adjustment as a Sleep Apnea Treatment

Sleep apnea is not a condition one should take lightly. It affects your sleep, day-to-day life, and your future. Sleep apnea patients complain of a lack of energy, poor concentration, decreased productivity, slowed metabolism, and general loss of quality of life. In addition to the obvious disadvantages of lost sleep, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and even sudden death. Diagnosis and treatment can have a huge impact on your life.

One form of treatment for sleep apnea is behavioral adjustments. Mild sleep apnea and snoring can be treated with a few small adjustments to your life. Recommended changes in behavior include: avoiding alcohol before bed, losing weight, moistening the air, not eating close to bedtime, quitting smoking, raising the head of the bed or mattress, increasing daily exercise, and sleeping on your side. It is also not a bad adjustment to go to bed at a reasonable hour. Sleep deprivation has been known to cause sleep apnea. Another good suggestion is to avoid taking sleeping pills and mood-altering drugs. A healthy lifestyle goes a long way as well. Having a healthy, well-balanced diet and exercising daily will do much more for your life and body than just helping to eliminate snoring and sleep apnea. These are all good recommendations to treat snoring and mild sleep apnea, and help you achieve a better life.

For moderate to severe sleep apnea, further measures are usually necessary. It is a good idea to explore other options such as alternative oral appliances, if you have moderate to severe symptoms of sleep apnea.

Read more on Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances

Sleep Apnea: How and When to get Treated

It’s estimated that as many as 15 million people suffer from sleep apnea, it is more prevalent in men than women. If you snore, already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, use a CPAP machine or suffer from any symptoms of sleep apnea, then you are a good candidate for treatment.

Some symptoms of sleep apnea include: depression, dry mouth, falling asleep while driving or working, gasping or choking during sleep, general tiredness during the day, irritability or anxiety, restless sleep, and snoring with pauses in breathing. If someone suspects they may have sleep apnea, a sleep study (polysomnogram) should be done. This study will accurately measure what happens during sleep and how severe the problem is.

If left untreated, disturbed and interrupted sleep can cause a wide variety of problems, ranging from minor to very serious. Lack of sleep makes one drowsy during the day. Sleep apnea sufferers also complain of fatigue most often. But, that is just the beginning. Sleep apnea can be linked to the following health risks: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, inability to lose weight, stroke, poor quality of life, and slowed metabolism or weight gain. All of which should be taken very seriously.

One way to treat sleep apnea is through oral sleep appliances and therapy. These have proven to be a viable alternative to CPAP. Research has shown that the tongue is really one of the major factors contributing the blockage of the throat and airway. By using an oral appliance and gradually repositioning the lower jaw forward, the tongue also moves forward opening the airway and creating better muscle tone in the oral pharyngeal area.

Some of the benefits of an oral appliance over the CPAP are: no uncomfortable masks or hoses, does not promote claustrophobia like the CPAP can, tolerated much better than CPAP, no mask impression left on the face, far more convenient for travel, airports, and much more.

If you or a loved one has any symptoms of sleep apnea, it is important to address and receive treatment. It will better the quality of your sleep, and your life.

Read more on Sleep Apnea Dentist in NJ and Sleep Apnea Treatments

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep Apnea is serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition that causes a person to actually stop breathing while asleep. These interruptions of oxygen cause a wide variety of symptoms, and are linked to some serious conditions such as weight gain, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. 

Apnea sufferers can stop breathing as many as 40 times per minute. They awaken feeling as though they had little or no sleep because they’ve been fighting for oxygen all night.

Apnea episodes can occur from 6 to 100 times per hour. This oxygen deprivation causes people to feel exhausted when they wake up, as though they haven’t really been sleeping. They’ve spent most of the night fighting for air, so it’s no wonder side effects like feeling tired, headachy, and irritable are prevalent. Furthermore, the lower oxygen levels also put a strain on the heart.

Sleep apnea has a number of causes. While much research has been conducted and is still underway, there is no single identifiable cause in every sleep apnea patient. Some researchers have found that certain conditions like obesity, encephalitis, neurodegenerative diseases, and cervical spine complications actually lead to sleep apnea. Usually, sleep apnea is caused by mechanical and structural problems in the airway that interrupt breathing while you sleep. On the other hand, sleep apnea may occur because the throat muscles and tongue relax while you sleep and block the airway. In obese individuals, sleep apnea may be caused by the narrowing of the airway, due to the excess amounts of tissue in the throat and neck.

The most common type of sleep apnea is Obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of the airway. With Obstructive sleep apnea, air cannot flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth although efforts to breathe continue. The upper airway becomes obstructed by excess tissue. This obstruction may be located in the nasal passages or the structure of the jaw and airway, and may be one of the causes of sleep apnea. Another type of sleep apnea is Central sleep apnea, which is much less common. In a case of Central sleep apnea, the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate respirations.

Sleep Apnea is a very serious condition, and deserves attention so that you can sleep better and live longer.

Read more on Sleep Apnea Causes

Snoring, a Sleep Disorder

Do you have trouble sleeping because of a loved one's snoring? Believe it or not, snoring can be more disruptive to the person snoring than it is to you.

Snoring is caused by a blocked airway. It is often dismissed as an annoyance, but it can actually be a sign of a very serious condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. The tongue falls backward during sleep and can fully or partially block the airway. There is then a struggle to obtain air, and this is what causes the vibration we call snoring. Much of the time the body will continue to get just enough air so there will be very little harm. However, snoring is a condition that means sleep apnea could be right around the corner.

Apnea episodes can occur from 6 to 100 times per hour. The oxygen deprivation causes people to feel exhausted when they wake up, as though they haven’t really been sleeping. It is no wonder they feel tired, headachy, and irritable because they’ve spent most of the night fighting for air.

The lower oxygen levels caused by snoring also put a strain on the heart. Because of this, snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are considered medical problems.

Read more on sleep disorder solutions.

Snoring? A quick and practical questionnaire...

Many patients come to us because their partners or family members noticed heavy snoring or frequent episodes where they stopped breathing. Spouses often report pauses in breathing followed by a gasp for air.

But not everyone can discover their situation this way. Many people sleep alone, or with partners who sleep too deeply to notice a problem. If you suspect you have a nighttime breathing problem but aren’t sure, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you snore on a regular basis, or wake others up in your household?
• Do you awaken frequently at night gasping for air?
• Are you excessively tired during the day?
• Do you fall asleep at unusual times during your day?
• Do you have morning headaches or frequent sore throats or dry mouth?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider getting a thorough sleep evaluation. Visit our website for Snoring Solutions.

Sleep Apnea Treatments

The lack of quality sleep can take a huge toll on your life. There are many disadvantages to lack of sleep. Sleep apnea patients complain of a lack of energy, poor concentration, decreased productivity, slowed metabolism, and general loss of quality of life. In addition, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and in extreme cases, even sudden death. It is not a condition to take lightly. Diagnosis and treatment can have a huge impact on your future, and on your life.

There are four main treatments for sleep apnea. Oral appliance therapy repositions the lower jaw and tongue to keep the airway open. The appliance is molded to the inside of your mouth and worn at night. We suggest that a follow up appointment is necessary to achieve the best results. A second treatment is simply to adjust some of your behaviors. For example, avoid alcohol before bed, lose weight, moisten the air, quit smoking, raise the head of the bed or mattress, and increase daily exercise to name a few. This is a good option for mild sleep apnea. Thirdly is the CPAP machine. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure, and is a machine located next to the bed to provide a constant stream of air via a mask. This constant stream of air keeps breathing passages open, and has close to 100% efficiency when used. The last option is surgical treatment. There are several surgeries that can be preformed, but like any surgery there is risk involved.

With over two decades of training and experience in the field of dental sleep medicine, Dr. Blumenstock is one of the most active and influential practitioners of this type in New Jersey. We function in cooperation with a medical sleep team that includes sleep physicians, neurologists, pulmonologists, and ear, nose, and throat specialists. Since snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are medical problems, you’ll obtain an objective medical assessment before we explore oral appliance therapy.



Following referral from a physician, Dr. Blumenstock thoroughly examines all patients and discusses all options, advantages, limitations, and consequences. You will decide together what the best option is for you and your sleep apnea.

Read more on Sleep Apnea Treatment in NJ

Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnea NJ

Oral Appliance therapy involves the selection, design, fitting and use of a specially designed oral appliance that, when worn during sleep, maintains an opened, unobstructed airway in the throat. Oral appliances that treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea are devices worn in the mouth, similar to orthodontic retainers or sports mouth-guards. They have several advantages over other forms of therapy. Oral appliances are comfortable and easy to wear and care for. They are small and convenient, making them easy to carry with you when you travel. Treatment with oral appliances is reversible and non-invasive.


SomnoMed
The SomnoMed MAS is a custom-made device, consisting of upper and lower dental plates with a unique patented fin-coupling component, which allows normal mouth opening and closing. An optional part provides incremental and adjustable levels of lower jaw advancement, which improves the effectiveness and comfort level of treatment as the jaw is moved only as far as is required to alleviate snoring and reduce apnea.

Visit us at Sleep-Apnea-Dentist-NJ.info to view more oral appliances.

Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnea NJ

Dental Sleep Apnea Medicine

Dr. Norman Blumenstock earned his dental degree from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, after earning his bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College. Prior to entering private practice, he served a general practice residency at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center in New York City. He is proud to have earned both Fellowship and Mastership awards from the Academy of General Dentistry.

Dr. Blumenstock has taken hundreds of hours of postgraduate education, as well as his 20 year plus focus on dental sleep medicine that allows him to help you improve your overall health. Dr. Blumenstock is an Assistant Clinical Professor at UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and on staff at the Dental Department of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. In addition to memberships in the American Dental Association, New Jersey Dental Association, and Middlesex County Dental Society, Dr. Blumenstock is a charter member of the Sleep Disorder Dental Society and has been credentialed by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine.

Visit our main web site to learn more about Dental Sleep Medicine in New Jersey.

Sleep Apnea - What is it?

What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition in which an individual repeatedly stops breathing while he or she sleeps. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea, caused by a blockage of the airway. This blockage could be excess tissue in the nasal passages or behind the tongue in the oral pharynx and hypopharynx of the airway.

Dr. Blumenstock is pleased to be able to offer his dental sleep apnea services to New Jersey and the surrounding states. Visit our main web site to learn more about Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine.

Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine

Central Jersey Dental Sleep Medicine
Norman Blumenstock, DDS, MAGD
410 Spotswood-Englishtown Road
Monroe Township, NJ 08831
Telephone: (732) 251-7766
www.sleep-apnea-dentist-nj.info


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