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Are you suffering from Sleep Apnea in Rockland County?


Do you snore? Have you often woken up after a full night’s sleep with a headache or feeling as if you haven’t rested at all? Like most people, you probably think snoring is merely an annoyance. You’re partly right; it is often annoying enough to cause a snorer’s bed partner to lose sleep – or worse, move to the guest room! But did you know that snoring could signal a serious disorder called Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea can aggravate many serious health problems and cause additional ones. Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but if you snore regularly, you might be at risk, and should come in for a free free sleep evaluation. It’s worth getting informed to avoid serious health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and dementia to name a few.

Why See A Dentist For Sleep Apnea?

While Sleep Apnea is diagnosed by physicians certified in Sleep, the dental office is often the first to discover signs of the problem.

Patients only visit specialists when they know there is a problem, and often Sleep Apnea goes undetected. Dentists see their patients twice a year or more and can recognize signs of blocked airways and breathing difficulties during a regular checkup exam – even if the patient isn’t complaining about trouble with sleep or breathing. This prevents an important health issue from being overlooked.

Screening For Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is a serious health condition. How do I know if I have Sleep Apnea? Is my snoring more than just an annoyance?

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Testing for Sleep Apnea

If you are at risk for Sleep Apnea, we can help you get tested working together with a Board Certified Sleep Physician. Find out how.

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Treatment for Sleep Apnea

If you are diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, you have options for treatment. Find out more about treatment options.

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What If I’m Snoring But It’s Not Sleep Apnea?

If your sleep test shows that you are simply snoring, it still may have a significant impact on your sleep quality and on your personal life! Dr. Ollech can correct your habit with an oral appliance and help you monitor the severity and frequency of the snoring.

What If I Don’t Get Treated?

Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to exhaustion that may cause motor vehicle accidents. Being deprived of the sleep stages your body and brain need to rejuvenate and repair, can lead to serious health problems. These include heart disease, like high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms (like A-fib) and coronary artery disease. Your risk is also increased for diabetes, (including Insulin Resistance) and stroke. Other effects may include depression, impaired memory and other cognitive function, loss of sex drive, increased appetite, and inability to lose weight.

The good news is that there are comfortable alternatives that dentists use to treat sleep apnea today. In order to treat sleep apnea effectively, you want a professional who has the proper training and experience to recognize signs and symptoms and advise you about your options.

Dr. Barbara Ollech and her team will take the time to answer your questions and help you minimize the effects Sleep Apnea can have on your health and quality of life.

For Doctors

Referring Patients to Sleep Solutions of Rockland

We appreciate the confidence physicians show in referring patients to our practice. We will treat your patients with kindness, respect and the highest standard of care. We will keep you informed of your patients’ progress through the treatment process.

In order to best serve your patients’ needs we appreciate the following:

  • Signed letter of medical necessity for oral appliance therapy (click here to download our LOMN/Rx).
  • Reports of any sleep tests that were done.
  • Chart notes that mention the patient’s concerns about sleep.
  • Demographics and health history for the patient.

Please fax these items to

Fax: 845-352-8480

or email to info@drollech.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are oral appliances an effective treatment?

Research has shown that Oral Appliance Therapy (OAT) is as effective as CPAP in treating mild to moderate OSA. It reduces cardiovascular mortality at a similar rates to CPAP. Additionally, compliance with OAT is high so that it can be effective even in severe patients who have difficulty tolerating CPAP.
The recent joint statement of the AASM and AADSM recommends having patients participate in choice of treatment to help improve compliance.

How do mandibular advancement appliances work?

Using the teeth to support and stabilize, the appliance holds the mandible and associated soft tissues. By positioning the tongue anteriorly, the hypopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airway is increased in size. It also increases the activity of the genioglossus and pharyngeal constrictors leading to a splinting effect of the upper airway.

Which patients are good candidates for Oral Appliance Therapy?

Any patient, especially if they are intolerant of or resistant to CPAP, may be a good candidate. However, some factors might increase a patient’s success such as:

  • Lower BMI.
  • Lower AHI.
  • Younger patients.
  • Retrognathic patients.

Keep in mind that a patient with a severe gag reflex may not be able to tolerate OAT, and patients with TMJ disorders may require some treatment for that issue before they can begin OAT. Patients also need to have adequate dentition to support the appliance.

How much will this cost my patient?

We know how important it is to minimize out of pocket costs to patients. We will file for benefits with your patients’ medical insurance and we are in network with Medicare. We will keep your patient informed and we will never begin treatment without making sure the patient understands what the terms of their policy allows and what their cost will be.

What is the Sleep Solutions of Rockland protocol like?

Our protocol starts with communication with referring physicians to make sure that we have all the important data we need to successfully assess each patient. We will make sure the patient has been tested and diagnosed, and then perform a thorough exam to assess if the patient is a good candidate for OAT.

Once it is determined that they are a candidate, we select the best appliance for that patient. Records are taken and sent to a specialized laboratory for fabrication.

The customized appliance is delivered to the patient and followed up with visits to titrate the mandibular position. When we are at the position we believe is best for that patient, we repeat a Home Sleep Test for efficacy. This can be done at our office, or we can refer the patient to your office for the test if you prefer. When we have achieved efficacy, we follow our patients annually.

We will communicate with you so that you are informed through all steps of the process.

Will Oral Appliance Therapy Change the Way Patients Bite?

This is certainly possible as with all types of dental appliances. We design or appliances and teach patients protocols of neuromuscular repositioners and stretching exercises to prevent this as much as possible. We keep track of the patient’s baseline bite and follow up at each visit to detect problems early. Remember that the benefit of improved breathing and oxygenation outweighs the cost of a slight change in bite.

EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE COMBINED WITH COMPASSION

Dr. Ollech has studied with sleep experts across the country to prepare her to best address your needs. Her practice, Sleep Solutions of Rockland, has been named a Qualified Practice by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.

She is a member of many Sleep Dentistry organizations and passed the Diplomate exam of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy. Most recently, Sleep Solutions of Rockland was named PRACTICE OF THE YEAR by the International Academy of Sleep.

Dr. Ollech cares about Rocklanders and does presentations in various venues about the importance of good sleep for optimal health.

Dr. Ollech will take the time to listen to your sleep story and combine it with clinical findings to determine your individual treatment. She has been educated in the use of multiple oral appliances, enabling her to select and customize one that specifically meets your needs. Her Sleep Coordinators are highly-trained and will work closely with you to make sure you get treated successfully, and give your bedtime story a happy, healthy ending.

To learn more about how Dr. Ollech can help you or someone you love deal with sleep apnea, contact or call our office to schedule your consultation today.

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