ReleaseWire Connect

Today, more than 22 million Americans are suffering from sleep apnea, a sleeping disorder where the air passage is blocked and causes a person to stop breathing periodically during their sleep. The more common form, obstructive sleep apnea, is caused when the soft tissue at the back of the throat or the tongue collapses and blocks the airway. This is a serious disorder that affects the brain and body as oxygen pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. Previously, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy has been the most widely prescribed treatment for sleep apnea. A new treatment is on the rise, with the use of a customized oral device eliminating sleep apnea's symptoms as it shifts the lower jaw forward so the tongue and tissue are unable to obstruct the airway.

Dr. Nicole Chenet, dentist at the Sleep Apnea Dental Center of Pittsburgh has been invited to speak at the 7th Annual PA Sleep Society Meeting on May 2, 2015. The event is a continuing education service of Penn State College of Medicine in partnership with the Pennsylvania Sleep Society. At the meeting, Dr. Chenet will present, "Dental Devices: Evidence on Efficacy and Status of Compliance Monitoring."

Dr. Nicole Chenet, DDS, of the Sleep Apnea Dental Center of Pittsburgh, offers a variety of dental-based treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Dr. Chenet’s practice specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of sleep apnea symptoms and disorders, helping patients achieve a safer, sounder and healthier sleep schedule by minimizing traumatic apnea effects. OSA sufferers will experience a variety of symptoms while sleeping that they may not realize are occurring if a partner or doctor is not there to survey their sleeping habits and report them. Diagnosis of OSA begins with a consultation that includes both a discussion of the patient’s sleep history and a physical exam. This initial screening will help determine if a more detailed assessment is prudent. Dr. Chenet may decide to conduct an overnight sleep study, or polysomnogram, which will be done at a sleep center. A polysomnogram records brainwaves, pulse and respiratory behavior, air movement, eye movement and blood oxygen levels throughout a full night. More assays, like the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), may be administered to help determine the extent of daytime sleepiness and identify any other sleep disorders that may also be present. Sleep apnea, though easily diagnosed, is a severe condition that is connected with various other critical ailments and must be treated as swiftly as possible.