Metro Imaging Center - TMJ and Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea

Non-CPAP Sleep Apnea Solutions

Loud, chronic snoring prevents you from getting rejuvenating sleep, and it can drive your bedmate to another room. It may also be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea or OSA, a serious medical condition with far-reaching health impact. The dentists at Metro Imaging Center in Waterford, MI have personalized solutions that won’t have you sleeping with a machine.

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Experts in TMJ/Headaches and Sleep Apnea

Living with TMJ disorders and sleep apnea can be a challenge, affecting your day-to-day life and overall well-being. Our team is dedicated to helping you regain control and improve your quality of life. With a deep understanding of the impact these conditions can have, we are here to offer expertise, support, and innovative solutions that make a difference.

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Personalized Care for Lasting Relief

Every individual is unique, and we believe your treatment should reflect that. When you step through our doors, you’ll receive personalized attention from our skilled team of experts. We listen to your concerns, evaluate your specific situation, and craft tailored solutions that cater to your needs. Our commitment to personalized care sets us apart – because your comfort and health are our top priorities.

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Your health should never be compromised due to financial concerns. That’s why we’re pleased to offer multiple payment options, including CareCredit and medical insurance. We believe that everyone should have access to the care they need, and our flexible payment solutions ensure that you can focus on your well-being without added stress. 

What happens to your body?

An episode of OSA triggers complex changes in the body. As you relax and begin to fall asleep, your tongue and soft tissues at the back of the throat relax, too. They collapse, blocking or partially obstructing the airway. After a few normal breaths, respiration becomes shallow. It may cease for several seconds or a few minutes, causing blood oxygen levels to plunge. The brain senses danger, as if you were being choked or trapped under water. It delivers a gush of adrenalin to trigger your fight or flight instinct. Your body may jerk, or you give a big cough or snort to wake up. You take a few deep breaths, restoring normal blood oxygen content. Then the cycle repeats, possibly thirty times or more per hour in severe cases.

The strain of chronically oxygen desaturation of the heart, lungs, and brain is profound during sleep. Your body produces hormones necessary for cellular regeneration only during REM sleep. Most people with OSA (and their sleep partners) very seldom reach deep sleep cycles.

How do you know if you have OSA?

It is important to note that audible snoring is not always present with OSA. You should also know that while OSA is most common in middle-aged men carrying extra weight, it can occur in anyone – women and children included.

If you have any of these symptoms, you could have OSA:

Oral appliances for snoring and OSA

For many years, CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) has been the go-to treatment for OSA. This device delivers air fed by a compressor to hold your airway open for easier breathing. CPAP is effective . . . if you can live with it. For most people, wearing a face mask and sleeping next to a humming machine isn’t conducive to restful sleep. Irritation from the mask and dry throat also hinder compliance. Plus, the set up isn’t exactly romantic.

Metro Imaging Center takes a different approach to treatment of snoring and sleep apnea – sleep appliance therapy. Just like in your home, in dentistry, an appliance is a device that performs a specific task. In this case, the task is bringing sleep disordered breathing into proper harmony.

The MicrO2 from ProSomnus Sleep Technologies is a next-generation, FDA-cleared sleep and snore device. With an advanced dental imaging center on site, our dentists take digital impressions of your mouth to create an appliance with comfortable, tailored fit. About the size of a retainer, the transparent device slips easily into place. The adjustable design allows plenty of natural space in the mouth. It depresses the tongue and gently holds the jaw in a forward position that keeps the airway clear.

Because we understand that patients’ needs differ, we also offer SomnoMed appliances. With this continuous open airway therapy, 88 percent of patients say they use the device regularly, and 91 percent report improvement in sleep quality.

These devices are discreet, portable, and easy clean. Sleep appliance therapy may completely resolve mild to moderate cases of OSA. Snoring treatments may be a good choice for athletes and others without OSA who can benefit from improved oxygen intake during deeper sleep. For patients with severe OSA, an oral appliance may improve effectiveness of CPAP, avoiding the need for surgery.

A better night’s rest starts with a call to Metro Imaging Center in Waterford, MI. Learn more about solutions for sleep apnea at 248-716-8543.