Sleep & Breathing
Surgical Sleep Apnea Care, Coordinated From Start to Finish
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Sleep & Breathing
When surgery may be part of your sleep apnea care
At Lansdowne Dental Care, Dr. Tracey Nguyen works alongside your sleep physician and surgeon, contributing a dental and jaw evaluation and dental follow-up, so your care is coordinated from evaluation through recovery. For many adults, CPAP, an oral appliance, or a combination of the two are used to treat sleep apnea. For others, the narrowing in the airway comes from the structure of the jaws, nose or soft tissues, and surgery may be an appropriate option.
Sleep & Breathing
Why anatomy matters
Obstructive sleep apnea has many contributing factors, including: anatomy, soft tissue, muscle tone during sleep, and other health factors. Your skeleton is one part of that picture. The size and position of your upper and lower jaws, the space behind your tongue and soft palate, and the structure of your nose all affect how easily air moves while you sleep. In some people, smaller or set-back jaws may contribute to a narrower airway.
For select patients, surgery may address contributing anatomical factors. Depending on your anatomy, a surgical plan may involve the nose, the soft tissues of the throat, or the position of the jaws themselves. Some patients benefit from a combination of approaches, sometimes paired with orthodontic treatment or an oral appliance before/after surgery.
Sleep & Breathing
Types of surgical approaches
Sleep surgery isn’t one procedure. It’s a group of options, each aimed at a different part of the airway. Your surgical team will recommend what fits your anatomy, but in general, approaches may focus on:
- The nose. Improving nasal breathing can make sleep more comfortable and can help other treatments, such as CPAP or an oral appliance, work better. However, it should be stated that nasal surgery on its own does not usually resolve sleep apnea.
- The soft tissues of the throat. Some procedures reshape or tighten tissues that collapse during sleep.
- The jaws. For select patients, surgery that moves the jaws forward can enlarge the airway.
- Combined plans. Many patients benefit from more than one step, sometimes staged over time.
These procedures address different problems and aren’t interchangeable. Your surgeon selects an approach based on your anatomy, diagnostic findings, response to prior treatment, and goals. Dr. Tracey’s role is to ensure your teeth, bite, and jaw joints are considered in whichever plan you and your surgeon choose.
Coordinated Care,
Start to Finish
Sleep & Breathing
Signs you may want to explore surgical options
Surgery is not the first step for most people, but it may be worth discussing if you have moderate to severe sleep apnea that has not improved enough with CPAP or an oral appliance. Your physician and specialists may believe anatomical factors may be contributing to your sleep apnea, so they may recommend surgery as the best course of action. You may also want to explore surgical options if you are unable to tolerate CPAP and/or an oral appliance or if you have a narrow upper jaw, recessed lower jaw, or other structural features that your care team feels are worth evaluating.
Every case is different. Having one or more of these findings doesn’t mean surgery is right for you. That decision comes from a full sleep evaluation and assessment by the appropriate specialists.
Meet the Doctor
Dr. Tracey’s role in your surgical care
Dr. Tracey is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine with advanced training in airway, sleep and jaw health. She doesn’t diagnose sleep apnea or perform sleep surgery. Your physician makes the diagnosis and your surgeon performs the procedure. Dr. Tracey contributes a dental and craniofacial evaluation to the planning process and supports your dental health before and after the procedure.
Dr. Tracey’s role within your treatment plan may include:
- Dental and jaw evaluation. Reviewing your dental and health history and examining your teeth, bite, jaw joints, and airway, based on your physician’s diagnosis.
- 3D imaging. When indicated, cone beam CT (CBCT) provides three-dimensional information about your jaws, joints, and the structures around your airway. These findings are considered alongside your exam and sleep study results. CBCT alone can’t diagnose sleep apnea or show how your airway behaves during sleep.
- Treatment planning. Collaborating with your sleep physician and surgeon to plan care that considers your bite, jaw joints and long-term dental health, not just the airway.
- Pre-surgical preparation. Coordinating any dental or orthodontic steps that need to happen before surgery, including jaw expansion treatment such as MARPE or MSE when there is a skeletal need for it.
- Bridging care. For selected patients, providing an oral appliance during the planning period, when your physician and surgeon agree it’s appropriate.
- Post-surgical support. Monitoring your bite, teeth and jaw joints as you heal, and coordinating timing and any restrictions with your surgeon.
Sleep & Breathing
A team approach to a complex condition
Sleep apnea sits at the crossroads of medicine and dentistry. The best outcomes usually come from a team that communicates well: your sleep physician, your surgeon, your dentist and, when needed, your orthodontist and other specialists. Dr. Tracey works to keep everyone aligned, so you aren’t left carrying information between offices or wondering what comes next.
Step by Step
What to expect
1
Comprehensive consultation
We start with a conversation about your sleep, your health, and your goals. Please bring any records you already have, including your physician’s diagnosis.
2
Airway and jaw evaluation
Using a clinical exam and digital imaging, including 3D CBCT when indicated, we look closely at your jaws, joints, bite, and the structures around your airway.
3
Collaborative planning
Dr. Tracey shares her dental findings with your sleep physician and surgical team, who will then guide the treatment decision with you. Non-surgical choices are always part of the conversation.
4
Preparation
If surgery is the right path, we coordinate any steps that need to happen first, such as dental work, orthodontic preparation, or jaw expansion.
5
Support through recovery
After surgery, we monitor your bite and jaw joints, make dental adjustments as needed, and coordinate long-term dental care with your surgical team.
Sleep & Breathing
Preparing for your consultation
To make the most of your first visit, it helps to bring:
- A copy of any sleep studies you’ve had, including home sleep tests
- Notes from your sleep physician, ENT, or surgeon, if you’ve already seen one
- A list of treatments you’ve tried, such as CPAP or an oral appliance, and what did or didn’t work
- Your current medications and health history
- Your questions. There are no bad ones.
If you don’t have some of these, that’s fine. Our team can help you gather what’s needed.
Sleep & Breathing
Treating the whole person
At Lansdowne Dental Care, we believe great sleep is a foundation of great health. Sleep apnea affects your energy, mood, focus, heart health, and quality of life. Our goal is to help you find the treatment that works for your body and your life, and to stay with you through every step.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need surgery to treat sleep apnea?
Many people don’t. CPAP and oral appliance therapy work well for many patients. For some, surgery may be considered based on their anatomy and a multidisciplinary evaluation, sometimes after other treatments and sometimes earlier. Your physician and surgeon will help you weigh the options.
Does Dr. Tracey perform the surgery?
No. Dr. Tracey provides a dental and jaw evaluation, contributes to treatment planning, and coordinates your dental care. Surgery is performed by qualified surgeons who work with her as part of your care team.
Can I use an oral appliance while I wait for surgery?
Sometimes. For select patients, an appliance may be used during the planning period. Whether it’s suitable depends on your diagnosis and anatomy, and on your physician’s and surgeon’s recommendations.
Will surgery affect my bite?
Some procedures, especially those involving the jaws, can change how your teeth fit together. That’s exactly why it’s valuable to have a dentist with airway and jaw expertise involved in planning and follow-up.
How long is recovery?
Recovery and results depend on the type of procedure and on you. Your surgeon will explain what to expect, and our team will support your dental and jaw health throughout. Because your treatment is planned around you, your recovery plan will be too.
Start with a conversation
If you’ve struggled with sleep apnea treatment or want to understand all of your options, schedule a virtual consultation with Dr. Tracey. Together with your physician, we’ll help you understand where dental care fits into your treatment.
Book Your Virtual Consult
Start With
a Conversation
Tell us a little about what you’re experiencing and our team will reach out to schedule your virtual consultation with Dr. Tracey.
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