Our experienced dentist and team are committed to helping you improve your health and quality of life. We provide dental sleep medicine to treat sleep apnea and other sleep breathing disorders so that you can get the rest you need and enjoy better overall health. Please use the links below to learn more:
- Do You Have a Sleep Disorder?
- Oral Appliance Therapy
- TMJ Treatment
- Do You Have Sleep Apnea or Wonder What It Is?
Do you ever feel exhausted, physically, emotional, mentally exhausted? You have tried everything to figure out how to put an end to your sleepless nights?
You can stop looking for answers and contact the office of Suzanne Mericle for the answer.
Unlike most offices that use a single appliance, we use several different oral appliances, choosing the one that is best for you. The choice of oral appliance is made after a thorough medical history, oral examination and years of past experience.
What to Expect During Treatments
The first step in being treated for snoring or obstructive sleep apnea is to obtain an evaluation by a physician who will provide a formal diagnosis based on a medical sleep study. After that, an evaluation by a sleep-disorders dentist will determine whether you are a good candidate for oral appliance therapy and which oral appliance will be most effective for you.
Your first dental appointment will involve a discussion of your sleep apnea condition, review of your medical status and a detailed focus on the advantages, limitations and risks of oral appliance therapy. Different appliance types will be discussed and one X-ray will be taken of your teeth and jaw joint. A thorough examination of your teeth, jaw joint and bite will be performed. Impressions will be taken of your teeth for fabrication of the appliance and a photograph will be taken of your bite.
Your second appointment will involve custom fitting the oral appliance and learning how to use and care for it.
After that, you will return to Dr. Suzanne Mericle in approximately four weeks for a follow-up visit to monitor the effects of the appliance and to make any necessary adjustments to ensure comfort and effectiveness.
Ultimately, when the snoring and daytime sleepiness have been improved, you will be referred back to your physician for a follow-up sleep study to ensure the effectiveness of the appliance. You will be evaluated again in six months and then annually to ensure adequate long-term success and to monitor any possible side effects.
We invite you to call our office at 912-638-3559 to schedule your consultation and learn more about dental sleep medicine in St. Simons Island, Georgia, and the surrounding areas, including Camden County, Brunswick, Darien, Jekyll Island, Kingsland, St. Marys and Townsend, Georgia.
