Dr. Carlo Litano, DMD, screens the airway before he treats snoring. The sleep apnea screening looks at CBCT airway imaging, symptoms and health history. It routes the case to NightLase, an airway orthotic or a physician. Snoring and sleep apnea are different problems, and screening finds out which problem a patient has.

Natural Smiles is a biological dentistry practice in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Dr. Litano has more than 20 years in biological practice.

Snoring and sleep apnea are different problems

Snoring is a sound. Sleep apnea is a medical condition. Treating snoring without screening can miss apnea. Screening comes before any treatment at Natural Smiles. It separates simple snoring, airway crowding and apnea that belongs with a physician. Dentists see the airway anatomy and the wear patterns that sleep problems leave behind. CBCT imaging reads the airway in 3D.

A screening visit covers history, imaging and findings

The screening visit follows four steps.

  • History and symptoms go on the record, including sleep history, snoring pattern, partner-reported snoring, daytime symptoms and risk factors.
  • CBCT imaging captures the airway in 3D and gets read alongside the health history.
  • Dr. Litano reviews the findings. He sorts the case as a snoring case, an orthotic case or a referral case.
  • NightLase, an orthotic fitting or physician coordination gets scheduled from the findings, and the findings are in writing.

CBCT imaging reads the airway in 3D

The CBCT scanner at Natural Smiles is the same scanner used for surgical planning, in the same office, and it reads bone density in 3D. Screening identifies risk and routes the case. A diagnosis comes later, from physicians and sleep studies, and the written findings travel with the referral.

Screening leads to three possible routes

Natural Smiles offers two of the three routes in house: NightLase and airway orthotics. Apnea goes to a physician, and screening decides which route matches a case: a snoring case, an orthotic case or a referral case.

NightLase targets snoring with laser sessions

NightLase uses Fotona laser sessions to gently tighten the soft palate. It needs no appliance to wear, no surgery and no anesthesia. Visits are short, with minimal downtime. The number of sessions gets set at the consultation. Results appear between sessions, and the number of touch-up sessions depends on the case. NightLase treats snoring. Snoring starts where relaxed tissue narrows the airway, and that narrowing is what the laser sessions target. Sleep apnea requires a physician for diagnosis and care.

An airway orthotic keeps the airway open during sleep

An airway orthotic keeps the airway open during sleep by positioning the jaw. The orthotic follows the screening. It comes from digital impressions and gets custom made. Dr. Litano adjusts it over follow-up visits until the position works, and those visits review how a patient responds. The orthotic can pair with NightLase, depending on the case. Screening decides whether a patient’s findings call for an orthotic. A drugstore boil-and-bite guard skips the screening, the digital impressions and the adjustment visits.

Next step after screening

Screening is priced as an evaluation visit, and it comes with a written estimate for any treatment it recommends. A consultation that includes a 3D scan gives a written treatment plan and cost estimate. This comes before a patient decides on anything.

The next step is a sleep apnea screening visit at Natural Smiles in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is with Dr. Carlo Litano, DMD.