Sleep Apnea Treatment Castle Rock

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition where a person experiences brief pauses in breathing throughout the night. There are a few different types of sleep apnea, but the most common form of the condition is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA. If you have OSA, the tissues in your mouth and throat over-relax and block your airway during sleep. This forces your body to repeatedly wake up and miss the deeper, more restorative stages of the sleep cycle, causing you to wake up feeling exhausted. These episodes can occur dozens or even hundreds of times in a single night.

You might be a victim of OSA if you often experience the following symptoms:

• Loud, frequent snoring
• Frequently waking up exhausted
• Waking up with a headache or sore throat
• Mood swings and irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Slow reaction times

The Dangers of Sleep Apnea

On the surface, it might seem like sleep apnea is little more than an annoyance. However, it can pose a real threat to your overall health and quality of life! Here are some potential consequences of untreated OSA:

• Poor cardiovascular health. The stress and oxygen deprivation caused by sleep apnea are associated with a heightened risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.
• Metabolic problems. You may be at a greater risk of developing diabetes due to how poor sleep can affect your hormones.
• Lack of quality sleep may make you unable to respond quickly in a dangerous situation, meaning you may be more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents.

Sleep Apnea Testing

It can be almost impossible to determine if you have sleep apnea on your own because the most telling symptoms occur while you are unaware of what is happening! The only way to get a definitive diagnosis and begin treatment is to complete a sleep test. We can help you do this in the comfort of home by giving you a small device to wear to bed that will monitor your breathing, heart rate, and other biological markers during the night. This data will then be sent to a certified sleep physician to analyze and determine whether or not you have the condition.

Sleep Apnea Treatment Options

While the most prescribed and popular form of sleep apnea treatment is CPAP therapy, many patients find this approach to be uncomfortable. Trying to sleep while having air literally forced down your throat is not exactly the most restful experience! For patients who want another option, or those who have mild to moderate sleep apnea, Dr. Thompson can offer a gentler approach — oral appliance therapy.

With this, all you have to do is wear a custom-made device (it looks like a mouthguard) to bed that slightly repositions your lower jaw. This prevents your airway from closing, enabling you to breathe normally and sleep uninterrupted throughout the night.

Dr. Thompson has used multiple appliances so he can find one that perfectly suits the needs of each patient. Over the years, he has provided SomnoDent, ProSomnus, and Panthera devices that offer the ideal balance of comfort and effectiveness. They are simple to use, make no noise, and travel easily, eliminating all of the reasons most people avoid using their CPAP.

Understanding the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment

Sleep apnea takes a toll on your quality of life and can lead to many consequences. That’s why it’s so important to seek a diagnosis and get the treatment that you need to achieve high-quality rest. However, many patients avoid getting treatment because they are worried about the cost. During your consultation with us, we will discuss the financial aspects of your treatment in detail. Until then, here are some things to take into consideration.

Does Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment?

Dental insurance doesn’t usually cover the cost of sleep apnea treatment. This is because insurance companies don’t consider diagnosing and treating sleep apnea to be under the dentistry umbrella. If you have questions regarding your insurance plan and what it covers, one of our friendly team members will be able to assist you.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Sleep Apnea Treatment

There are two main factors that contribute to the cost of sleep apnea treatment: severity and treatment type. If you have a mild case of sleep apnea, you may be able to see necessary relief through lifestyle adjustments and not require any advanced treatments. If you have mild to moderate sleep apnea, oral appliance therapy is likely an ideal option. For severe sleep apnea, you may require more advanced treatment methods, which can cost more. Oral appliance therapy is generally more cost effective than other treatment options, like CPAP therapy.

Treat Your Sleep Apnea Now to Improve Your Health

Many patients contemplate whether it is worth it to seek a sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment. Whether or not you have health insurance that covers treatment, you can be confident that seeking treatment is in your best interest. It can easily benefit your health and reduce your long-term expenses. Sleep apnea increases health risks, including some that are serious and life threatening, like stroke, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, depression, weight gain, and more. These issues eventually result in high medical bills and a lower quality of life.

Make Sleep Apnea Treatment More Affordable

Sleep apnea treatment isn’t covered by dental insurance, but this doesn’t mean that you are completely out of luck. We are happy to accept payments through iCreditWorks – a third-party financing company that can split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments with little to no interest. If you have any questions or need help applying, our team is happy to help!