Sleep Apnea
If you snore excessively or wake up tired, you may suffer from sleep apnea.
At Sleep Group South, Inc., in Stockbridge, GA, Dr. Vernon Greene specializes in dental sleep medicine.
Learn how we can help you achieve a better night's sleep and better overall health with sleep apnea treatment...
Sleep through the Night with a Custom-Made Oral Appliance
At our dental practice in Stockbridge, GA, we help patients from all over greater Atlanta overcome sleep apnea through oral appliance therapy (OAT).
Dr. Greene has undergone years of advanced training in this treatment technique. He can fit you with a custom-designed nightguard that will open up your upper airway during the night so you can snore less and sleep soundly.
If you are interested in oral appliance therapy, take the first step by scheduling an appointment with Dr. Greene. Once you experience the life-changing benefits of sleep apnea treatment, you'll be glad you contacted us online or emailed us at sleep@sleepgroupsouth.net to ask questions.
Call Us: (470) 705-0788
Worried about Treatment Costs?
At Sleep Group South, Inc., we work with most insurance plans, including Tricare and Medicare, to reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Dr. Greene also accepts payment through CareCredit® financing to make any out-of-pocket costs more affordable, so you can receive the top-quality medical care you deserve despite budgetary concerns.
Types of Oral Appliances
Both appliances are fully customizable to the needs of the patient and offer slimmer profiles that make them more comfortable.
Oral Appliance Testimonial "A Thousandfold Improvement"
Lawyer Quinn is a longtime patient of ours who hated using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to treat his sleep apnea. When Dr. Greene introduced him to oral appliance therapy as an alternative to CPAP, he was elated. Thanks to his oral appliance, he now snores less and has much more energy during the day.
Hear from Our Patients Real 5-Star Reviews
Bob Adams
2022
Absolutely fabulous experience. First night slept super well and comfortably. Had no issue adjusting to the appliance. Highly recommend for men who are not sleeping well especially!
View More Google ReviewsFritz Demosthenes
2022
Absolutely amazing people and service!! This is where you need to go for all of your dental needs.
View More Google ReviewsWhat Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects your sleep cycle and your normal breathing routine. It causes you to literally stop breathing for 10 to 90 seconds at a time. This occurs many times during your sleep.
When you stop breathing, your oxygen levels drop and your heart rate goes up. This can happen hundreds of times per night and puts unhealthy stress on the heart. It has been medically documented that this leads to high blood pressure and several other health problems.
There are two forms of sleep apnea:
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea is very rare. With central sleep apnea, breathing ceases during the night because the brain fails to send proper signals to the muscles. Central sleep apnea is a complex neurological disorder that only highly specialized sleep doctors are qualified to treat.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is far more common. Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing is interrupted during the night because the soft tissues of the mouth and throat block the upper airway. Our dentist can treat obstructive sleep apnea with oral appliances.
Could You Have Sleep Apnea? Symptoms and Warning Signs
Snoring is the telltale symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. As the throat muscles relax and restrict the airway, they vibrate, leading to snoring. If your bed partner complains of loud, incessant snoring, it may be time to seek a diagnosis for obstructive sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea can cause you to wake dozens or hundreds of times a night. Your brain wakes you up because your body is not getting enough oxygen. Even if you don't remember these episodes, they prevent you from getting the deep sleep you need.
Are you tired throughout the day? Do you find it difficult to concentrate at times? Do you doze off at your desk or while driving? If you regularly experience daytime sleepiness, it may be because sleep apnea is preventing you from sleeping through the night.
Sleep Apnea Is a Common Condition
Why Treat Sleep Apnea?
Improve Your Energy
A good night's sleep is essential to having enough energy to get through the day. When you work with our Stockbridge practice and receive a custom-made oral appliance, you'll be able to sleep soundly through the night. Many of our Atlanta-area patients are amazed at how much more alert they feel and how much their moods improve once they address obstructive sleep apnea.
Protect Your Health
Sleep apnea is associated with numerous health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. By opening your airway during the night, you can reduce your risk of developing these conditions.
Relieve Your Partner
Obstructive sleep apnea doesn't only affect you. If you share your bed with a partner, or even if you just have other family members in your house, the extreme snoring caused by obstructive sleep apnea can keep them up at night as well. The oral appliances designed by Dr. Greene at our practice in Stockbridge, GA, effectively reduce snoring, so everyone in your home will enjoy more peaceful nights.
"Dr. Greene is the best dentist ever. I have been going to him for 25 years. He is more than experienced. He is very kind and understands the patient needs very well. I give him 5 stars." Ruth Marshall, 5-Star Google Review
Treatment Options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliance therapy is the preferred treatment method at our practice in Stockbridge, GA. Dr. Greene can design an oral appliance that repositions your lower jaw, tongue, soft palate, and uvula to keep the airway open during sleep. This therapy is non-invasive and can be highly effective for both sleep apnea and snoring. Also, the oral appliances we craft are very comfortable. After a few weeks, wearing the appliance at night will feel like second nature.
CPAP
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is provided by a bedside machine that delivers pressurized air through a tube that connects to a mask covering the nose. CPAP is a well-known treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, and it does keep the upper airway open effectively. However, CPAP machines can be cumbersome, loud, and uncomfortable. Many patients from the Atlanta area contact Dr. Greene because they are seeking an alternative to CPAP.
Surgery
Patients with severe sleep apnea may require surgery to remove excess tissues. This is a last resort option that we would only recommend when all other therapies have failed.
Oral Appliances in Action
Oral appliances fit over your teeth and reposition your lower jaw, tongue, soft palate, and uvula, removing the obstructions in your upper airway.
Better Sleep Is One Call Away Contact Us for a Consultation
If you struggle to sleep through the night, or you are tired of using an annoying CPAP machine, schedule an appointment at Sleep Group South in Stockbridge, GA.
During a consultation, Dr. Greene can ask about your symptoms and arrange for an at-home sleep study. If the sleep study reveals you have obstructive sleep apnea, we can provide a custom-made oral appliance that can radically improve your quality of life.
There's no reason to wait. Request a consultation by filling out our online form, emailing us at sleep@sleepgroupsouth.net, or calling our office today.
Call Us: (470) 705-0788
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea with At-Home Sleep Studies
Before Dr. Greene can recommend oral appliance therapy or any other kind of sleep apnea treatment, we must first identify the nature of your sleep disorder.
When you visit our office for a consultation, we will begin by asking you to fill out an assessment form that will determine if you should be further evaluated with an at-home sleep study.
Home sleep tests are becoming the standard method of testing for Medicare and most PPO medical insurance companies. We will partner with your primary care doctor to get coverage details and other required documentation. The out-of-pocket costs for an at-home sleep test are generally lower than the costs of going to a sleep center.
How do at-home sleep studies work? They're simple. All you have to do is wear a device during the night that will monitor your heart rate and breathing patterns while you sleep. The device collects data that Dr. Greene and your primary care doctor can use to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, or some other sleep disorder.
"Dr. Greene is my dentist. He noticed I had a tendency toward Sleep Apnea and recommended I get tested for it. I did not want to because I did not think I had it. Sure enough I did. I knew I did not want to wear a mask at night but he offered another solution, which was a Dental Appliance. I have been using it for close to 3 weeks and I am sleeping much sounder and my wife says I have quit snoring. I highly recommend you look at this option for Sleep Apnea if you are like me and do not want to wear a mask all night." James Oliver, 5-Star Google Review
Sleep Apnea FAQs
Who Is at Risk for Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can affect anyone, but certain populations are at higher risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea. Overweight people, older people, smokers, and men are more prone to developing obstructive sleep apnea.
What Health Conditions Are Associated with Sleep Apnea?
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, adults with sleep apnea are more likely to have heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, atrial fibrillation, cancer, chronic kidney disease, eye disorders, metabolic disorders, and more.
Will Treating Sleep Apnea Reduce My Snoring?
Absolutely. Obstructive sleep apnea causes snoring because the soft tissues of the throat vibrate when they block the airway. By opening up the airway with an oral appliance, you can greatly reduce your snoring.
