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Michael S. Grossman, DDS
Call (315) 290-3232


About Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening sleep disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. Breathing pauses can last anywhere from several seconds to minutes, and happen as often as 30 times or more per hour. Ongoing disrupted breathing causes an imbalance between the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the bloodstream, as not enough carbon dioxide is exiting and not enough oxygen is entering the body.
Sensing this imbalance, the brain sends a message to the body, telling it to wake up to restart the breathing process. People with sleep apnea will partially awake as they struggle to breathe, and this is often accompanied by loud snoring or choking sensations. Because people with sleep apnea don’t always completely awake during the episodes, they are often unaware they have a sleeping disorder and it can remain undiagnosed.
There are two main types of this disorder; central sleep apnea which occurs when the brain fails to send important signals to the breathing muscles, and obstructive sleep apnea which occurs when air cannot flow through the nose or mouth even though the body is still trying to breathe. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more prevalent and easily treatable by the dentist.
Common signs of obstructive sleep apnea can include severe early morning headaches, sleepiness in the daytime, and insomnia.


Reason for treating sleep apnea

It is very important to seek medical attention if sleep apnea is suspected. A sufferer can completely stop breathing numerous times per hour, and this can quickly turn into a deadly situation. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissue lying at the back of the patient’s throat collapses into the airway. The tongue then falls towards the back of the throat which tightens the blockage and prevents oxygen from entering the lungs. Because sleep apnea causes carbon dioxide levels to skyrocket in the blood and oxygen levels to decrease, the heart has to pump harder and faster to compensate for the lack of oxygen. Sleep apnea patients can technically “die” many times each night. Sleep apnea has been linked to a series of serious heart-related conditions, and should be investigated at the earliest opportunity.

Is Treating OSA Important?

Treating obstructive sleep apnea is incredibly important to your health. When left untreated, sleep apnea often causes excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue, as well as morning headaches and memory loss. Sleep apnea also is a threat to your safety as it increases your risk of drowsy driving and workplace accidents. Untreated sleep apnea raises your risk for serious health problems.

These include:
High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart disease
Diabetes
Chronic acid reflux
Erectile dysfunction
Severe, untreated sleep apnea even increases your risk of death


Meet Dr. Grossman

Dr. Michael Grossman loves being a dentist. He particularly enjoys getting to know entire families. Dr. Grossman graduated from the University of Massachusetts with his Bachelor of Science degree in biology, then earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo in 2004.
Dr. Grossman is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Dentistry, and a Somnomed certified dentist. He has taken numerous courses on the treatment of Sleep Apnea. Dr Grossman believes that by treating Sleep Disordered Breathing he is truly helping his patients overall health. Hundreds of his patients no longer suffer from the detrimental effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea due to Dr Grossman's oral appliance therapy. They no longer snore loudly causing bed partners to leave the room...he's saving lives and marriages!! They no longer have to wear cumbersome CPAP machines.
In his personal life, Dr. Grossman's greatest joys are his wife, Meagan, and their children, Andrew, Lilah, Noah and Owen. Dr. Grossman's other interests include playing the guitar, skiing, and golfing.

Somnodent


What is SomnoDent?

SomnoDent is an Oral Sleep Apnea Appliance consisting of two dental plates, which look similar to a sports mouth guard. SomnoDent is custom made to fit your mouth and should be worn at night whilst you are sleeping.

How does SomnoDent work?

Using a titration key, the SomnoDent can be gradually adjusted to bring your lower jaw forward, opening up your airway. Treatment is painless and non invasive. SomnoDent therapy is reversible and can be used in conjunction with other treatment modalities.

Is SomnoDent comfortable?

The SomnoDent allows you to open and close your mouth, which means you can talk or drink with the appliance in position. Because SomnoDent is custom made to fit your mouth, you will find the appliance to be surprisingly comfortable and discreet. You will find that you're used to wearing the device after about a week.

Is SomnoDent the right treatment for me?

If you suffer from mild to moderate OSA the SomnoDent should benefit you. If your OSA is classed as severe and you can not tolerate other recommended treatments, then speak to Dr. Grossman about trying the SomnoDent.

Contact Summit Dental Group

If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us using the information provided below.

sleep@esummitdental.com

Summit Dental Group
7555 Morgan Rd.
Liverpool, NY 13090
Phone: (315)355-0089
Fax: 315-457-0656

Monday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 7:30pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:30am - 3:30pm
Saturday 7:30am - 1:00pm