Sleep Apnea
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where breathing stops multiple times while you’re sleeping. If not treated properly, it could lead to serious health risks, including heart disease, fatigue, and even death. Never fear! We are located in Sioux Falls, SD, and Dr. Corey Karmazin and Dr. Molly Karmazin are trained to catch signs of sleep apnea and even offer comfortable solutions. But first, what exactly are the signs of sleep apnea:

Learn about how a dental appliance can help relieve snoring.
Have trouble viewing the video? Click here
You can think of Karmazin Dental as your front line to recognizing the signs of sleep apnea. When we see you every six months for a checkup, we ask basic questions to identify and strategize a treatment plan to combat this sleeping disorder. We use the PAT® or the MediByte system to evaluate your sleep and determine the severity of your condition. From there, we’ll work directly with your physician for a proper diagnosis and discuss multiple options to help combat sleep apnea on your terms. Some of those options include:
Why Choose Karmazin Dental For Sleep Apnea and Snoring Treatment?
‘‘My spouse and I had not slept in the same room for over 7 years due to my snoring. My wife referred me to Karmazin Dental. They ran a sleep study and uncovered I had some sleep apnea. Dr. Corey created a small retainer that I wear and my snoring is gone! I sleep better, and my wife is happy - win-win! I highly recommend Karmazin Dental!
Brandon M., Actual Patient at Karmazin Dental
-
Is this sleep disorder common?
It’s estimated about 22 million Americans have sleep apnea, with 80% of those cases being moderate and severe. SOURCE
-
How severe is sleep apnea?
There are different levels of this sleep disorder, and it can become very severe and life-threatening if you don’t take action to treat it. One level is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) where the muscles and tissues in the throat and airway passage collapse while sleeping, cutting off oxygen to the brain. There are three levels of OSA:
- Mild OSA- The sufferer experiences 5-14 episodes of interruptions in breathing in an hour.
- Moderate OSA- The sufferer experiences 15-30 episodes of interruptions in breathing in an hour.
- Severe OSA- The sufferer experiences 30 or more interruptions in breathing in an hour.
Other levels of sleep apnea include:
- Central Sleep Apnea: When a victim stops breathing because the brain stops sending signals to the muscles that control breathing.
- Mixed Sleep Apnea: A combination obstructive and central sleep apnea where medication and CPAP are needed to treat this sleep disorder.
-
How is it diagnosed?
A home sleep test or a PSG (Polysomnogram). An overnight home sleep test is one of the first diagnostic tools we would recommend for our patients to begin to understand their specific sleep habits/patterns. From there, we can communicate with your doctor to discuss the proper steps to treat your specific findings.
-
Will my insurance cover sleep apnea treatment?
Most medical insurance plans will cover a sleep study, diagnosis, and oral appliance for this kind of treatment. It’s recommended you contact your insurance provider to determine if you need to cover any deductible or co-payment amounts. Our front desk team are masters with the insurance world and will be more than happy to navigate through your insurance plan to help you understand it better.