Dr. Doneskey is the region’s leading Oral Medicine Specialist who has expertise in dentistry and provides consultation and care to patients with complex diagnostic problems involving the airway, jaws, and mouth that require ongoing non-surgical management. This includes the treatment of sleep apnea, snoring, and the most complicated TMJ disorders. Our team feels fortunate to work with the best sleep dentist and TMJ specialist in Bellevue!
A more serious condition where unlike snoring, the airway completely closes many times throughout the nighttime and can significantly reduce one’s oxygen levels in the body resulting in disrupted sleep. Depending on the person and the severity of the apnea, sleep apnea can result in excessive daytime sleepiness, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, weight gain and on occasion even heart attack and stroke.
Oftentimes, the awakening from a sleep apnea episode is so brief that many sufferers don’t even remember it and aren’t even aware of their condition at all. Most patients only seek to diagnose their sleep apnea because their sleep partner is worried about their reoccurring gasping for air or loud snoring.
Along with interrupted breathing at night and snoring, other common symptoms to look out for include:
Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is caused by a blockage in the airway due to relaxation of the muscles in the back of your throat. There are several factors that may increase your risk of sleep apnea, including being male and aged 40 or older. Additional risk factors include:
The noise created when there is a partial closure of the airway and is often only as problematic as the noise itself. However in many cases snoring can also be associated with medical problems such as high blood pressure and significant daytime sleepiness. When snoring is associated with these issues a person is said to have a Respiratory Disturbance.
Snoring is the sound created by the vibration of tissue that passes through your airway. While you sleep, your throat muscles relax and the airway becomes more narrow. The greater the blockage in your airway is, the louder you’ll snore.
While it’s more common for men to snore, it can affect anyone regardless of age or gender. There are various factors that contribute to snoring, including weight, genetics, allergies, sleep position, nasal congestion, and alcohol consumption.
Yes! There are several lifestyle changes that can help manage your snoring and increase the effectiveness of other treatments, like Dr. Doneskey’s Silent Partner Treatment. Natural remedies may include losing weight, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding tobacco use, and positional therapy.
However, it’s important to remember that this isn’t a long-term solution and is most effective when combined with professional treatment.
A sleep disorder that is characterized by varying degrees of tooth clenching that occurs during a person’s sleep. TMJ disorder can cause a number of different symptoms, the most common being headaches, jaw joint pain and facial pain. Nighttime clenching can also lead to TMJ popping, catching and locking. In addition to this, contributing factors, such as stress, anxiety, depression and other sleep disorders can lead to increased nighttime clenching and consequently cause TMJ related symptoms to worsen. Of these factors, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most significant. TMJ disorder and OSA are strongly interrelated problems.
There are many factors that may cause TMJ disorder, such as bruxism, missing teeth, certain types of arthritis in the TMJ, or dislocation of the ball and socket of the TMJ. Dr. Doneskey will assess your symptoms and entire mouth to determine the cause of your TMJ pain.
TMJ disorder causes frequent pain and stiffness in your jaw, along with several other symptoms including:
Making certain lifestyle changes may help relieve TMJ symptoms in the short-term. Some natural remedies may include acupuncture, massage, jaw stretches, and sleep position.
However, it’s important to remember that these are temporary fixes and shouldn’t be considered a long-term solution. Give us a call at (425) 646-6409 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Doneskey so he can help determine an effective treatment for you.
At the Sleep Apnea and Facial Pain Center, we will work hard to make sure that you feel comfortable and cared for at all times. We believe that our most important job is to first hear your concerns and objectives, gather careful and thorough information, and then work closely with you to develop an appropriate treatment plan that meets your specific individual needs. You can be confident that your concerns and problems will be fully and expertly evaluated by our dentist.
There’s always a sunny blue sky in the future for each of our patients. And our exceptional sleep dentist and experienced staff will be there for you each step of the way. Individualized care and a thoughtful and conservative treatment approach are how we change lives.
