Getting the Treatment You Deserve
See Dr. Schumacher About Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a severe medical condition that requires attention by a professional team. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to strokes, heart attacks, automobile accidents, and more adverse consequences.
If you believe you might be suffering from sleep apnea, contact Desert Hills Dental Care to schedule your consultation with Dr. Schumacher. He’ll make sure you get the diagnosis and treatment you deserve.
While snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, they’re two separate conditions. However, Dr. Schumacher can treat your snoring even if it’s not related to sleep apnea. He is a Qualified Sleep Dentist who’s been serving Farmington patients since 1986.
Getting Your Diagnosis
Dr. Schumacher provides sleep apnea care that increases the overall health and well-being of our patients. During your consultation, he’ll conduct a thorough examination and ask some basic questions about your lifestyle and your sleep habits.
A sleep study is the essential next step before getting your sleep apnea diagnosis. Your physician or primary care provider will order either an in‐lab study or an at‐home study, depending on your specific needs.
A physician must provide a sleep apnea diagnosis. Dr. Schumacher works with multiple sleep apnea doctors who can provide the necessary prescriptions to start sleep apnea treatment.
We’ve had great success treating both sleep apnea and snoring using oral appliances. This small device gently repositions your jaw to keep the airway unobstructed while you sleep.
CPAP & Alternative Sleep Apnea Treatments
After a physician determines that sleep apnea treatment is necessary, there are three main for treatment:
- CPAP Machines: A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine is particularly useful for treating severe cases of sleep apnea. This device delivers a stream of warm air that you breathe throughout the night. The added air pressure helps keep your airway open, thus eliminating sleep apnea symptoms. Unfortunately, many patients find CPAP machines to be uncomfortable and restrictive. Furthermore, the CPAP mask limits the patient’s movement while they sleep. Over 50% of the patients that try CPAP end up stopping treatment in less than a year.
- Oral Appliances: Dr. Schumacher may suggest using an oral appliance if your sleep apnea symptoms are mild to moderate severity. This form of treatment provides a small, convenient option for symptom relief when compared to CPAP machines. An oral appliance looks like a mouthguard one would wear for sports, but it’s a sophisticated device that rests in your mouth while you sleep. Following your physician’s directions, Dr. Schumacher can design a customized appliance that will help you sleep better.
- Surgery: In more extreme cases, surgery is recommended to treat sleep apnea. This can include removing the tonsils, adenoids, or any excess tissue that’s blocking the airway.