Obstructive Sleep Apnea
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition where the upper airway becomes partially obstructed during sleep, leading to interrupted breathing and reduced oxygen levels in the blood. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) specifically involves repeated pauses in breathing and decreased oxygen saturation throughout the night.
Approximately 20% of adults experience mild OSA, while 7% suffer from moderate to severe cases. This condition can also affect up to 3% of children. Fortunately, most health insurance plans cover treatments for obstructive sleep apnea.
Potential Signs of Sleep Apnea
Signs that may indicate sleep apnea include:
- Snoring with Breathing Pauses: Notable gaps in breathing accompanied by snoring.
- Daytime Sleepiness: Excessive tiredness throughout the day.
- Gasping or Choking: Waking up gasping or choking during sleep.
- Restless Sleep: Frequent tossing and turning during the night.
- Cognitive Issues: Difficulty with concentration, poor decision-making, and memory problems.
- Irritability: Mood swings and increased irritability.
- High Blood Pressure: Elevated blood pressure levels.
- Chest Pain: Discomfort or pain in the chest at night.
- Depression: Symptoms of depression.
- Weight Issues: Overweight or obesity.
- Large Neck Size: Neck circumference greater than 17 inches in men or 16 inches in women.
- Airway Congestion: Congestion or obstruction in the airway.
- Morning Headaches: Persistent headaches upon waking.
- Reduced Libido: Decreased sex drive.
- Frequent Nighttime Urination: Frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea, it’s advisable to visit Alpine Surgical Arts - Oral & Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Arman Haghighi, Dr. Brian Rowan, or Dr. Syrus Haghighi will review your medical history and discuss your sleep patterns with family members.
A comprehensive physical examination may be complemented by a 3D CBCT scan to evaluate the airway. If necessary, Dr. Arman Haghighi, Dr. Brian Rowan, and Dr. Syrus Haghighi might recommend a sleep study, known as polysomnography. This test monitors your sleep patterns and blood oxygen levels to confirm OSA and determine its severity. Sometimes, a trial with a CPAP machine might also be conducted to assess its impact on your condition.
Treatment For Sleep Apnea
For moderate-to-severe cases of sleep apnea, the primary treatment often involves the use of a CPAP machine. This device provides a steady stream of pressurized air to keep the airway open during sleep.
It's important to understand that while CPAP therapy can manage sleep apnea effectively, it does not cure the condition. Stopping CPAP use can result in the return of symptoms and pose additional health risks. Long-term compliance can be challenging, with studies showing that regular use beyond five years may drop significantly.
Dental and Oral Devices to Treat Sleep Apnea
Oral appliances are commonly used to treat mild to moderate sleep apnea with good results. These devices are similar to mouthguards and are worn inside the mouth. Some appliances work by repositioning the lower jaw and expanding the airway, while others are fixed around the head and chin.
Although these devices can manage OSA effectively, they do not offer a permanent cure. Discontinuing use of the appliance may lead to a resurgence of symptoms and increased health risks.
Surgical Treatment For Sleep Apnea
At Alpine Surgical Arts - Oral & Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Arman Haghighi, Dr. Brian Rowan, and Dr. Syrus Haghighi work closely with patients to tailor surgical procedures to their specific needs. Various surgical treatments are available for OSA, targeting different areas of the upper airway. Collaboration with otolaryngologists and sleep specialists often enhances the outcomes.
Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA)
This procedure involves repositioning the upper and lower jaws, as well as the chin, to open the airway and move the tongue forward. MMA also addresses issues with the nasal airway, such as septal deviations or enlarged turbinates. Unlike temporary solutions, this surgical approach offers a potential permanent solution for OSA, with success rates exceeding 90% in studies.
Patient Testimonials
Hear from our patients about their experiences with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and other procedures.
" Hi, I'm Blair. I'm from Meridian. I came to Alpine Surgical for a biopsy, extraction, and implants. Immediately when you walk in, the person at the front desk is very welcoming. Dr. Haghighi is very thorough in his explanations and direct. I felt very confident that he was the right person for the work that I needed done. The whole extraction and surgery went better than I expected. Recovery time was much less than I was anticipating. I definitely feel like my quality of life will have improved. Just being able to have my smile back and number two being able to eat normally again. I feel great. I would highly recommend Alpine Surgical Arts to all my family and friends in Garden City."
" Hi, I am Brenda. I'm from Boise and I came to see Dr. Rowan for tooth extraction. Dr. Rowan was amazing. When he came in, he was very friendly, very thorough. He said it will be very quick that make me feel better and at ease. The procedure went very well and the recovery was fast. I just follow all the procedures and all the advice that he gave. It went all very, very well. I feel great. I feel great. I can smile any time and my experience here was perfect. I will definitely 101 percent recommend Alpine. "
"Hi, I'm Eldon and I came here for two extractions. My first impression when I walked into this facility was, "Wow, what a happy place". The people here are smiling and they're friendly. And Dr. H. was really personable, enjoys working here, and he was friendly. The extractions, both of them went real well. It was pretty smooth sailing for me. My overall experience with Alpine was amazing. I'm really glad it worked out well. "
" Hi, I'm Jackie. I'm from Boise, and I came to Alpine Surgical Arts for jaw surgery and a dental implant. When I first walked into the practice, it felt very welcoming. I chose Dr. Haghighi because he was so personal. He was willing to answer my multitude of questions and I really felt that he saw me as a human being, and that's what was really important to me. The dental implant surgery was super easy. The jaw surgery recovery was quite a lot, which I anticipated, but I had many follow ups, and Dr. Haghighi was super kind in answering my many questions. Many questions during my recovery process. I'm really glad I did it. I have a full set of functioning teeth. I would definitely recommend Alpine Surgical Arts. It's really nice now to look at pictures of myself and think that my teeth and my smile look nice. "
" Hi, I'm Jim. I'm from Meridian. I came to Alpine Surgical Arts for extractions and implants. When I first walked in, staff was, you know, very inviting, very professional, easy to talk to. Procedures went well and recovery time was pretty, pretty minimal. I feel great. Every time we do a procedure, I feel good. It's definitely at Alpine Surgical Arts, a welcoming experience, very professional and easy, you know, easy process. I would highly recommend Alpine Surgical Arts to all my family and friends in Meridian."
" Hi, I'm Kristie. I'm from Boise. I came to Alpine Surgical Arts for an extraction and a dental implant. When I first walked into the office, I thought everybody was really welcoming. I thought the office was really clean and bright. The staff at Alpine Surgical Arts was extremely friendly. The doctors here are extremely professional, extremely knowledgeable, really great bedside manner, and made me feel very comfortable. My procedure went really well. It feels really nice to have a beautiful, healthy smile. My overall experience here was excellent. I would absolutely come back to Alpine Surgical Arts. "
" Hi, my name is Lindsey. I'm from Boise and I came to Alpine Surgical Arts for orthognathic surgery. When I came here for a surgery consultation, the environment immediately set me at ease. The staff have been so helpful. They helped me through a lot of insurance and just were super supportive. Dr. Haghighi is great. He took time to answer every single question I had and just made sure I fully understood and was comfortable with everything. My procedure was a lot better than I was anticipating. I feel great. It has been a huge quality of life improvement for me. My overall experience here has been really fantastic. I would highly recommend Alpine Surgical Arts to all my family and friends in Nampa."
"I'm Lucas. I'm from Boise, Idaho, and I went to Alpine Surgical Arts to get my wisdom teeth taken out. It was a really welcoming environment. Everybody was really nice and helpful. The nurses that were helping me were super nice and made sure that I was comfortable. Dr. Rowan was especially very nice to work with, made sure that I knew what was going on. Even after my surgery, he had given a call to check up and make sure that I was doing all right. Everything was good results. I had an amazing experience. Everything was great. I would highly recommend Alpine Surgical Arts to all my friends in Star. I love having a healthy smile."
"Hi, I'm Merri. I'm from Boise, Idaho, and I came to Dr. Rowan to get an extraction and dental implant. When I first came in here, I was impressed with just the simplicity of it and the friendliness of the staff. They walked me through everything. It was wonderful. When I first met Dr. Rowan, he's just very at ease, very confident in what he was doing, which led me to be very much at ease. All my appointments—the extraction, the implant, and the follow-up—it was very quick, in and out. It was very smooth. I'm so glad I came. I would highly recommend Alpine Surgical Arts to my friends and family in Robie Creek."
Finding Better Smiles in Boise and Meridian, ID
When you come to Alpine Surgical Arts - Oral & Cosmetic Surgery, you come to a practice that provides exceptional care by combining years of experience with compassion. Our offices in Boise and Meridian are ready to welcome you and guide you toward the smile you’ve been dreaming of. Contact our office to learn how oral surgery can help change your life while enhancing your oral health.