Sleep Apnea

Florida Oral & Facial Surgical Associates helps patients with sleep apnea in Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, New Smyrna Beach, Titusville, Deltona, Port Orange and Ormond Beach, FL.

People who snore loudly are often the target of bad jokes and middle-of-the-night elbow thrusts; but snoring is no laughing matter. While loud, disruptive snoring is at best a social problem that may strain relationships, for many men, women and even children, loud habitual snoring may signal a potentially life threatening disorder: obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA.

Luckily, there are treatments available for sleep apnea. If you'd like to view some sleep apnea before and after pictures or you're curious about sleep apnea treatment prices, please give us a call today.

What are the Risks of Sleep Apnea?

Unlike simple snoring, obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening condition that requires medical attention. The risks of undiagnosed OSA include heart attack, stroke, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart disease and decreased libido. In addition, OSA causes daytime drowsiness that can result in accidents, lost productivity and interpersonal relationship problems. The symptoms may be mild, moderate or severe.

How is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?

If you exhibit several sleep apnea symptoms, it's important you visit your oral and maxillofacial surgeon for a complete examination and an accurate diagnosis.

At your first visit, your doctor will take a medical history and perform a head and neck examination, looking for problems that might contribute to sleep-related breathing problems. An interview with your bed partner or other household members about your sleeping and waking behavior may also be in order. If the doctor suspects a sleep disorder, you will be referred to a sleep clinic, which will monitor your nighttime sleep patterns through a special test called polysomnography.

Polysomnography will require you to sleep at the clinic overnight while a video camera monitors your sleep pattern and gathers data about the number and length of each breathing cessation or other problems that disturb your sleep. Often a "split night" study is done during which a C-PAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device is used. During polysomnography, every effort is made to limit disturbances to your sleep.

Sleep apnea is a serious condition, and individuals with OSA may not be aware they have a problem. If someone close to you has spoken of your loud snoring and has noticed that you often wake up abruptly, gasping for air, you should consult your oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

What are Sleep Apnea Treatment Costs?

Sleep apnea treatment costs can be discussed during your initial consultation with the surgeon. All of our oral and maxillofacial surgeons are highly trained professionals who have years of experience dealing with sleep apnea patients. And they will do everything in their power to eliminate this condition.