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What is Home Sleep Testing? (and what does it have to do with dentistry?)

Good questions! Let’s start with the first one: home sleep testing is an alternative to staying overnight in a sleep lab. Why would you need this? Sleep tests are for evaluation and diagnosis of sleep disorders, including sleep-related. If you have ever discussed sleep problems with your doctor, this has probably come up. Sleep labs are really the best source of information about a person when they are sleeping: they have very precise equipment and are in a controlled environment. But, there are many reasons why they are not the best choice for every patient: all of the wires can be uncomfortable, many people do not sleep well when not in their own bed, and they can be expensive depending on your insurance plan. In contrast, a home sleep test is a compact device that you wear while sleeping in your own bed. The data is downloaded and sent to a sleep physician for evaluation and diagnosis. Most are not as precise as the machines found in a sleep lab and do not collect all of the same data as those lab-grade machines, but in many cases, they are sufficient for making a diagnosis.

We are pleased to announce that [Practice Name] now offers in-home sleep testing for sleep apnea and sleep-related breathing disorders. In-home testing means you do not have to spend the night in a sleep lab!

How it works:

• Visit the office for a sleep consultation
• We show you how to wear the device and send you home with a test kit
• You sleep with the device for 2 nights
• You bring it back
• The sleep data is downloaded from the device
• A board-certified sleep physician reviews the data and makes a diagnosis
• If your diagnosis qualifies, we can fit you for a custom oral appliance to treat sleep apnea

OSA is a medical condition, which means that it is covered under medical insurance, not dental insurance, even though treatment is delivered by a dentist. As a courtesy, we will verify and file your claim with your medical insurance carrier; however, verification is only an explanation of benefits based on information that we received from your insurance carrier. It is not a guarantee of payment. We will assist you in determining the benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy provided by your insurance carrier and will file claims for services rendered.
If you have been waiting to treat your sleep apnea or TMD, now is the time to make an appointment.

Call us today at (408) 238-5500 to learn more or schedule a consultation at Silicon Dental located at 2060 Aborn Road, Suite 210, San Jose, CA 95121.