Optimal Oral Health with
Sleep Apnea Treatment In Jupiter, FL
Our Warm And Inviting Office Is Only A Few Minutes From Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, And All Of Palm Beach County.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
If you stop breathing for 10 seconds or more during your sleep then you are experiencing sleep apnea. It is a simple sleeping disorder that affects 1-6% of our adult population, which equates to over 12 million people. A Sleep Study estimated that one out of every 15 Americans were affected by mild to moderate sleep apnea. As the subjects enter middle age the numbers jump to nine percent in women and 24 % in men that were affected, undiagnosed or untreated. The term commonly used is sleep-disordering breathing when describing the full range of breathing problems during sleep.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
If it goes undiagnosed the disorder can dramatically increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, hypertension, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and irregular heartbeats. It can lead to weight gain or the inability to lose weight. You can suffer from acid reflux and grind your teeth. It can also lead to liver function impairment. Recently it has been revealed that it can create tissue loss in the brain leading to memory loss. It is more common in men versus women and increases with age.
Award Winning
Dentistry at Ritter + Ramsey
Our Doctors are known nationally for their knowledge of practice materials and techniques. Ritter and Ramsey have provided industry insights and research to some of the top dental manufactures worldwide. Together, they lecture both nationally and internationally in excess of 50 times per year.
Do You Have Sleep Apnea?
Our concerns for our patient’s health goes beyond oral hygiene. Understanding sleep apnea is a good example. It is characterized by the patient pausing their breathing or experiencing periods of shallow breathing during their sleep. The pause may last for several seconds or up to a few minutes. It also may happen several times throughout the night. This disruption keeps the patient from getting enough oxygen while they sleep. The risk of a heart attack increases by 23 times and 92% of stroke victims had no idea they were experiencing this disorder before their attack. Going undiagnosed a patient will feel tired during the day, or in children they can experience hyperactivity. It has been proven that many vehicle accidents have been the result of this disorder due to drowsy driving. Other symptoms can be morning headaches, moodiness, belligerence and a decrease in energy. These behavioral effects can lead to either anxiety or depression as well. If you sleep six to eight hours a night and don’t feel rested you could have some level of sleep apnea. If you move from a deep sleep to a lighter sleep then you may be suffering from some level of the disorder. Common symptoms that can be witnessed by a friend or family member would be that of loud snoring and restless sleep. The most common form of the disorder
is OSA, or obstructive sleep apnea.
What Is OSA?
Those disruptions in breathing patterns can be the result of simple small mechanical or tissue functions. An obstruction or blockage of the airway can happen with the tongue, tonsils, throat muscles or even the soft palate falling back into the throat. A severe drop in blood oxygen levels can result from an obstruction of this nature as the levels of carbon dioxide build up in the bloodstream. These factors may result from being overweight or obese, or a having family history of the condition, of being a smoker, having enlarged tonsils, having an enlarged tongue, having a small airway or having some allergies. If you wore braces in your youth or have a history of asthma these could be factors as well.
How Is OSA Diagnosed?
Dentistry can serve a very vital role in finding and treating this silent epidemic. Our training allows us to offer you the education and treatment necessary in regards to your sleep health in the simplest, easiest and most cost effective manner. OSA is typically diagnosed during a sleep study or polysomnogram. The patient rests overnight at a sleep lab and a sleep physician monitors brain activity and body functions while the patient sleeps. This includes the monitoring of your blood pressure as well as the quantity and quality of your sleep. Sometimes a home study may be possible instead of reporting to a sleep lab. In combination with evaluations of excessive daytime symptoms can be made. Simple questions and habits such as the amount of caffeine you need to get through your day. Are you fatigued on a regular basis?
Do you need or want a regular nap? Do you feel sleepy trying to read or do you fall asleep watching television. Have you fallen asleep while you are a passenger? The worse-case is have you ever dozed off while you have been driving. All of this data is evaluated by the specialist and a recommended treatment can come from this study.
Can OSA Be Treated Once Diagnosed?
Once an evaluation has been issued the treatment may involve surgery, a CPAP or BiPAP machine, or therapy with an oral appliance. The least invasive option and often a good choice for treatment for mild to moderate OSA is the oral appliance. A carefully calibrated appliance by a trained dentist can hold the jaw in place comfortably in a specific position throughout the night time hours allowing for regular and consistent air and oxygen flow. We are trained to make this custom-made mouthpiece that will shift your lower jaw forward and open your bite ever so slightly. This small shift will open your airway. The appliance is calibrated carefully to yield the results and deliver precision in positioning. Another recommendation might be the continuous positive airway pressure device, or CPAP machine. A small machine, hose and mask deliver constant and steady air pressure. A BiPAP is very similar in function as the CPAP. The most invasive diagnosis would be that of corrective surgery.
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DENTISTRY SINCE 1994
Traditionally, hours of hand labor in a dental laboratory are invested in these precise products. With the adoption of more technology into dentistry, digital imaging continues to grow in importance. Most restorations begin with a mold of your mouth that involves messy impression materials. With the Itero Digital Scanner, you can say goodbye to the mess. Itero eliminates this step, replacing it with simple digital images captured with a handheld wand. The images quickly appear on a computer monitor as 3-D models of your teeth.
Expert Tooth Restoration Using Porcelain Crowns
Porcelain dental crowns are used to restore dental implants, to secure dental bridges, restore and help repair broken or damaged teeth. Dental crowns can be performed in one visit. The goal with dental crowns is to create a natural looking smile. These types of crowns can add the strength and durability to any tooth with any needed repair. Aesthetically, dental crowns are used to cover a discolored tooth and even narrow the gaps between largely separated teeth.
The Finest Porcelain Veneers for a New Smile
At Ritter & Ramsey, watching patients discover a brilliant new smile is the highlight of our days. Porcelain veneers can transform a smile dramatically. A beautiful new set of porcelain veneers can correct chips, stains, and even deeply discolored teeth. But they can also alter the length and size of teeth, or help teeth that seem rotated appear straight. While it sounds dramatic, only the stunning visual outcome is surprising. Porcelain veneers provide a highly conservative approach to aesthetic smile makeovers.
Meet Our Internationally Recognized Cosmetic Dentists
Our doctors have more than 40 years of combined experience diagnosing and treating dental health issues. Patients trust our team to perform top quality work and send you home from your appointments with a gleaming smile. Get to know our doctors below and be sure to meet our wonderful, hard-working staff as well.
Dr. Robert Ritter
Dr. Robert Ritter grew up in Palm Beach prior to attending Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine. Practicing since 1994 and logging more than 200 hours of continuing education per year, Dr. Ritter is an extremely proficient doctor of restorative dentistry.
Dr. Christopher Ramsey
Dr. Christopher Ramsey was raised in Jupiter and achieved his dental degree from Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia. Dr. Ramsey is on the editorial review board for two dentistry journals and stays on the cutting edge of cosmetic dentistry treatments.
Dr. Isabelle Ritter
Dr. Isabelle Ritter graduated from Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine in 1994. Dr. Ritter provides tailored, mercury-free dental care for your young children and teens. She enjoys providing young people with healthy habits and gleaming smiles.