Snoring, morning headaches, daytime fatigue, and witnessed pauses in breathing may signal obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). At UR Smile Dental of Clute, we help local adults take the first step toward evaluation and appropriate care.
Patients seeking obstructive sleep apnea treatment in Brazoria County can contact our team to review their sleep concerns and discuss possible next steps.
A Simpler Path From Sleep Apnea Screening to Care
OSA occurs when the upper airway repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep. Through SLIIP, our team can help connect appropriate patients with home sleep testing and evaluation by a board-certified sleep physician. The sleep physician reviews the test findings and determines whether they support a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea.
How the UR Smile Sleep Apnea Process Works
The process is designed to help patients move from initial screening to appropriate sleep care:
- Consultation and screening: We begin by discussing your symptoms, sleep concerns, and relevant health history.
- Home sleep testing through SLIIP: When appropriate, our team can help connect you with home sleep testing through SLIIP.
- Sleep physician evaluation: A board-certified sleep physician reviews the sleep test results.
- Diagnosis: The physician determines whether the findings support a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea and provides appropriate recommendations.
- Oral appliance discussion: If oral appliance therapy fits your diagnosis and treatment needs, our dental team can discuss whether a custom appliance is an option.
- Follow-up: Ongoing dental and medical follow-up can help assess appliance fit, comfort, symptoms, and treatment effectiveness.
Custom Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnea
Oral appliance therapy uses a custom-fitted dental device worn during sleep to help support the airway. For appropriately selected adults with obstructive sleep apnea, a custom oral appliance may be considered as part of the treatment plan.
Some adults who have difficulty tolerating CPAP or prefer an alternative may be candidates for oral appliance therapy. Whether an appliance is appropriate depends on factors such as the sleep apnea diagnosis, oral health, teeth and supporting structures, jaw function, treatment preferences, and recommendations from the sleep physician and dentist.
Follow-up is an important part of treatment. Dental visits allow monitoring of the appliance, bite, oral tissues, and comfort. Appropriate sleep-medicine follow-up can also help determine whether treatment is effectively managing the diagnosed sleep apnea.
Meet Dr. Kelvin Chukwuemeka Imo
Kelvin Chukwuemeka Imo, DDS, IAOS-D, studied dentistry at Howard University College of Dentistry and later pursued an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. He holds professional membership with the International Academy of Sleep (IAOS) and has achieved Diplomate status in Sleep Medicine. His sleep-focused experience also includes founding It’s All About Sleep and Imo Sleep Solutions, organizations that help people with sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Care for Brazoria County Communities
UR Smile provides sleep apnea screening support and oral appliance care from our Clute dental office for patients throughout Brazoria County. Our location serves patients in Clute, Lake Jackson, Freeport, Angleton, and surrounding communities who want to discuss sleep-related symptoms and determine whether further evaluation is appropriate.
For patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, our team can discuss oral appliance therapy when appropriate based on the diagnosis, oral health findings, and treatment recommendations.
Why Start Your Sleep Apnea Evaluation With UR Smile?
Sleep apnea care can involve both dental and medical professionals. At UR Smile, patients can begin by discussing their symptoms and sleep concerns with our dental team. When appropriate, we can help facilitate home sleep testing through SLIIP, and a board-certified sleep physician can review the findings.
When obstructive sleep apnea has been diagnosed by a physician, we can evaluate your oral health and discuss whether custom oral appliance therapy may meet your treatment needs.
Our Clute office is located at 105 Dixie Drive, Suite A, and serves patients from communities throughout Brazoria County.
Frequently Asked Questions
UR Smile can help connect appropriate patients with home sleep testing through SLIIP as part of the sleep apnea evaluation process. Home sleep testing may not be suitable for every patient, so the type of sleep study needed depends on individual circumstances and medical evaluation.
A board-certified sleep physician reviews the sleep test findings and determines whether they support a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. The physician can also recommend next steps based on the results.
Dentists can identify possible signs of obstructive sleep apnea and provide oral appliance therapy when indicated, while a qualified physician is responsible for making the medical diagnosis. In the UR Smile process, a sleep physician reviews the sleep study findings and determines the diagnosis.
Oral appliance therapy involves wearing a custom-fitted dental device during sleep to help support the airway. It may be appropriate for certain adults with obstructive sleep apnea based on their diagnosis, oral health, treatment needs, and recommendations from their healthcare providers. Follow-up is important to monitor fit, comfort, oral health, and treatment effectiveness.
Begin With a Sleep Apnea Consultation
If you need sleep apnea treatment near Brazoria County, contact UR Smile to arrange a screening consultation and discuss the next appropriate step.