People with sleep apnea may feel tired no matter how many hours of sleep they get at night. That's because the quality of their sleep is poor due to obstructed airways. Sleep apnea can cause several health complications, ranging from mild to severe. Over time, untreated sleep apnea can even cause heart attacks and strokes. Your dentist can treat your sleep apnea through a discipline known as sleep dentistry. These are some services that can be made available through the sleep apnea treatment process:

1. Take impressions of your teeth and oral cavity.

Oral appliances made to treat sleep apnea are designed to modify the position of the various structures in your mouth. They may depress your tongue to make more space in the back of your throat or advance your upper jaw to achieve the same purpose. In order to work effectively, sleep apnea oral appliances must be custom-fitted to your mouth. Your dentist will take oral impressions to create a mold that will be used to design your oral appliance. The appliance itself will be made in a laboratory and sent to your dentist, where you will eventually pick it up.

2. Fit and modify your oral appliance.

Oral appliances are specially designed to fit your mouth. However, your new oral appliance may require some adjustment before it fits perfectly. That's why your dentist will have you try on your new oral appliance in their office. They will ask you various questions about the comfort of the fit and perform an exam to check the fit manually. At this point, your dentist can make minor adjustments to improve the way your oral appliance sits in your mouth. This is also an excellent opportunity for your dentist to provide patient instruction on the use and care of your oral appliance at home.

3. Help you work with your insurance company.

Oral appliances used for the treatment of sleep apnea can be expensive. However, that doesn't mean that treatment for your sleep apnea is out of reach. Many forms of sleep apnea treatment are fully or partially covered by many dental insurance policies. Your dentist can help you figure out what treatments and appliances are covered by your insurance plan. They can contact your insurance company and submit the necessary paperwork so you can get help to pay for your sleep apnea treatment without the headache or hassle of negotiating with your insurance company alone. 

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