What is a Sleep Doctor Called?

A sleep doctor is somewhat commonly called a sleep medicine specialist. These professionals understand sleep, sleep conditions (like sleep apnea), and their causes very well. If necessary, sleep medicine specialists can network with other specialists, like neurologists, to help patients with complex sleep conditions like restless leg syndrome.

Here at Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders, our sleep doctors practice a particular kind of sleep medicine called dental sleep medicine. So often, patients’ sleep conditions are caused by issues with the jaw, tongue, and/or throat, and dental sleep medicine effectively treats these issues and thus the conditions. Sleep apnea is a great example of a condition that can be treated very effectively with dental sleep medicine.

These professionals help patients with sleep conditions or sleep-related conditions. The first step in helping a patient is to look at the patient’s sleep problems, and these can include anything from restless sleep to breathing interruptions during sleep. If the doctor determines that the patient’s problems are attributed to a sleep disorder, then the doctor can proceed with additional steps.

Many patients will benefit from getting a sleep study done. This is one of the best methods for determining whether a patient has a sleep disorder, and patients of almost any age, including toddlers aged two and up, can get a sleep study. In the study, the patient is kept overnight (and accompanied by a parent, if necessary), at a clinic where specialists will observe the patient’s sleep habits, sleep behaviors, and breathing. This information will help the doctor with his or her determination. And once the doctor knows precisely what the sleep condition is, he or she can recommend a number of treatments.

For a condition like sleep apnea or a condition that can affect sleep like TMJ (jaw joint) disorder, oral appliance therapy can work especially well. It’s a great option over CPAP therapy (with a CPAP machine) which can be quite uncomfortable for a patient, especially a young patient. Oral appliance therapy uses a comfortable oral insert to treat the issue affecting the patient’s jaw, tongue, and/or throat, and it’s quite often this issue that causes sleep apnea in the first place. Oral appliance therapy is approved by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and we can provide it at our clinic as a component of dental sleep medicine. Medications, various therapies, and other treatments can be provided for sleep disorders too.

We’d be happy to tell you more about the treatments we offer, as well as the credentials of our doctors and the conditions they can treat. Come see us for a simple consultation at any of our locations in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Texas or Wisconsin. You can go to our Appointments page to book with us at any of our locations, or you can call to book with us. We’d be happy to hear from you for any reason, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us today with any inquiries you have for us.