In our office, we would either recommend you go directly to a sleep specialist, such as an ENT physician (Ear, Nose and Throat), or go to our sleep disorders center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, and, with proper referral from your physician, undergo an overnight sleep study. Through the use of various sophisticated physiological monitors, your heart rate, breathing, brain waves, muscle activity, bruxing activity can all be measured and recorded. They will be analyzed, and the sleep center will find out if your sleep apnea is mild, moderate, or severe, and advise you on the proper courses of treatment. It also may be possible to undergo a trial treatment of either a dental appliance or a CPAP machine at the sleep clinic.

If you think that you have a snoring or sleep apnea problem, and desire treatment, either as a new patient or as a patient in which all other modalities have failed, and you wish to try a dental sleep appliance, please be in direct contact with our office. We usually work with you, your physician, and the sleep center in fitting and fabricating any dental appliances. We also work very closely with insurance companies in getting payment for dental sleep appliances, and it is probable that you would be covered under medical insurance, provided you have the proper sleep studies and a referral from a physician.

What you can expect at the first visit in our office:

The first visit for fitting of a dental appliance will include a thorough examination of teeth, mouth, TMJ, with the possible addition of needed x-rays of your jaw joints. It will also include dental molds, from which you may be fitted with a dental appliance. There is a possibility that the first visit will include a temporary appliance, which you may take home and try out for a week to see if it's effective before you invest in a more permanent and more expensive appliance.

At a succeeding visit, we will show you how to place the appliance in your mouth, how to care for it, how to use it, and we will check back with you in a few weeks to make sure you are comfortable with the appliance, wearing it regularly, and also make sure it is effective in treating either your snoring or sleep apnea. It is also possible that we will be referring you back to your physician or sleep specialist to determine how effectively the appliance is in controlling your snoring and sleep apnea. We will also see you at regular intervals several months apart to maintain and to adjust the appliance that you are wearing so that it remains effective.

The material in this outline of snoring and sleep apnea has largely been obtained from Integrated Health Technologies, Wayne Halstrom, D.D.S., and from The Sleep Disorders Dental Society. If there are any questions or specific problems, you may be in contact with our office.

Dr. Cherin is a member of the Dental Sleep Disorders Dental Society, and is a mentor for the fitting and fabrication of the Halstrom Adjustable Hinge sleeping appliance. He has over 10 years of experience in fabricating dental sleep appliances, and is also a member of the Sleep Disorders Center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.