Sleep Apnea Testing
Get the Data:
Finding Where Your Airways are Blocked
At-Home Sleep Testing from Dental Sleep Studio
Sleep apnea testing provides you with a diagnosis you can be sure of. Accurate testing allows sleep professionals to diagnose your case of sleep apnea or snoring and start with a treatment plan.
With most cases of sleep apnea undiagnosed, testing can be a barrier to treatment. Some who suffer from sleep apnea don’t know where to access testing, how to find the right provider, or what the testing process looks like.
We’re here to help you get a clear picture.
The Importance of
Sleep Apnea Testing
Sleep disorders can stem from multiple areas of the airway. Without a clear picture of where your airway obstruction is, treatment paths may not succeed!
Our process starts with a full scan of your airway – from nasal passages and sinuses, down to your esophagus, we want to understand where the air is getting blocked and how that affects your daily and nightly breathing.
Imagine your airway is a straw leading from where you breath to the lungs – we need to know where that straw is pinched! It might be as simple as clearing consistent nasal congestion or indicate an anatomical issue where your body is getting in the way of your oxygen intake!
Testing protocol at the Dental Sleep Studio is a 2-step process:
Step 1: CBCT
Using a specialized X-ray machine called a Cone Beam to produce high-quality 3D imagery of your entire airway. This full picture will help us identify where the symptoms are coming from!
CBCTs are an effective way to get a 360 degree picture of your jaw health, sinuses, nasal cavity, and airway in detail that is unavailable otherwise. The procedure is easy and painless!
Step 2: At-Home Sleep Testing
Now that we know that there is an airway obstruction, we need to see how bad it is! An at-home sleep test will give us the data on how these blockages are affecting your nightly sleep and guide us on the path to the most successful treatment!
The results from your sleep study must be assessed by a board-certified sleep physician for accurate diagnosis. Our practice partners with sleep physicians in all 50 states and usually get results in 10-14 days.
Why You Should Get Tested
Sleep apnea treatment can completely change your life.
- Testing leads to treatment: After you get tested, our sleep professionals will start treating your specific case of sleep apnea.
- To avoid serious health complications: Untreated sleep apnea can lead to diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and more. Treating it immediately can lower your risk of these serious outcomes.
- Share a bed with your partner again: Oral appliance therapy can treat loud symptoms like snoring and gasping, allowing you to sleep with a partner. Testing brings you one step closer to treatment.
- To regain your sleep: If you are considering testing, it likely is because you are struggling with your sleep. An accurate diagnosis can inform a treatment that allows you to get the good nights of rest you deserve.
- To learn more about your airway: Airways that don’t function properly can indicate several health conditions. Testing can provide objective information about your breathing function.
Benefits of At-home Sleep Tests
Sleep studies have been completed in sleep labs for decades, but recent innovations offer accurate at-home options that allow our sleep professionals to provide a diagnosis.
At-home sleep tests offer many benefits:
- Convenience: You can take this test in the comfort of your home, which provides convenience that allows you to get the test on the schedule.
- Accuracy: At-home sleep tests offer accurate results that are reliable and clinically proven.
- Cost: These tests are affordable and worth just a couple hundred dollars.
- Accessibility: At-home testing options at local clinics like Dental Studio of Carrollton make testing accessible to patients without access.
- Scheduling: It isn’t realistic for many patients to stay in an overnight lab.
- Comfort: With a few sensors, the test is easy to wear during your normal routine.
Sleep Apnea Testing Diagnoses
Here are common diagnoses from sleep apnea testing:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
OSA occurs when throat muscles relax and block airflow into the lungs. This is the most common type of sleep apnea and the one that we usually treat. Oral appliance therapy is FDA-approved to treat OSA.
Snoring
Snoring is the hoarse sound when air flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to vibrate. While snoring is a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, it is also a common diagnosis on its own. We treat snoring with oral appliance therapy.
What Our Patients Are Saying
Kimberly P.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What Our Device Tests For
The at-home devices test for most of the metrics you would test for in a sleep lab. Innovations and the newest technologies allow you to test for the same key indicators you would have in a lab but in your natural sleeping environment.
At-home devices test for the following metrics.
- Heart rate
- Blood oxygen level
- Pulse volume changes
- Snoring activity
- Body movement
- Chest movement
- Body positioning
These metrics provide detailed information that allows sleep professionals to diagnose your unique condition.
How Many Tests Must I Take to Get Diagnosed With Sleep Apnea?
You will need to take one at-home test. Our clinic’s at-home tests are accurate, cost-effective, and comfortable. After wearing the test for one or two nights, most patients have accumulated enough data for an accurate diagnosis.
Do I Need to Go to a Sleep Lab For a Test?
In-lab sleep tests require an overnight stay and may be required for some severe cases. Our team uses at-home tests for most patients. This means you don’t need to spend a night away or thousands of dollars on a test to get the same result you would have received if you tested at home.