Sleep Apnea
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which a person’s breathing is interrupted while asleep. People with undiagnosed sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly while sleeping, sometimes hundreds of times. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. This is a dangerous condition because it means that the body and the brain may not get enough oxygen.
Lack of oxygen (oxygen deprivation) over time has been shown to cause and/or contribute to many other serious health issues, also known as comorbidities, such as; diabetes, strokes, heart disease, heart attacks, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and high blood pressure.
If you experience the symptoms below and/or loud snoring, especially snoring punctuated by periods of silence, contact Dr. Hillery a dentist in Concord to see how we can help. 603-224-2555
About Us
Dr. Gregg Hillery graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in June of 1987. He had been a resident of New Jersey but decided to finish his undergraduate degree in Behavioral Neuroscience and dental degree in the city of his birth, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Hillery practiced dentistry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before moving to New Hampshire in June of 1998. He is a member of the American Dental Association which includes the New Hampshire branch and the Concord Dental Society. He has attended many continuing education courses throughout the years. He likes to supplement his knowledge by reading dental journals and newsletters to stay current with new technology and procedures.
Dr. Hillery’s interests include outdoor activities and travel. He enjoys spending time with his wife and his son, and searching for family and cultural events to attend.
Kelly- Dental Assistant
Kelly has been in the dental field for over 36 years in the capacity of dental assistant. Working with Dr. Hillery since 1998, she feels very fortunate to have a career that she has loved and still has the desire to be part of a team that provides excellent dental care. Making patients feel cared for and comfortable, in a sometimes-stressful environment, is her favorite part of her job. Her faith and family have always been the most important parts of her life. Now that her children are grown, she has more time to spend working out (to try and stay ahead of mother nature), cooking and enjoying her entire family, especially her triplet grandsons and granddaughter.
Dawn – Registered Dental Hygienist
Dawn graduated from Franklin Pierce College in 1986 with a B.S. in Business Management with a minor in accounting and from NHTI in 2001 with a degree in dental hygiene. She is board certified in the administration of local anesthetic. She joined our team in 2007. Dawn is passionate about her career as a Dental Hygienist. Educating patients on how to help them improve their oral and overall health is of the utmost importance to her. Dawn enjoys meeting new patients every day and making dental appointments a positive experience for them as well as taking care of their dental needs. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking and spending time with her family.
Lauren – Registered Dental Hygienist
Lauren earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Saint Anselm College prior to entering the dental field. She then went on to become a Registered Dental Hygienist with a certification in local anesthesia administration. She graduated from NHTI in 2009 with a degree in Dental Hygiene and joined Dr. Hillery’s team that same year. Lauren’s favorite part of her job is building relationships with her patients while educating them on the importance of oral hygiene and disease prevention. Her main goal is to give each patient a positive experience in the dental chair by taking time to perform a comfortable and thorough hygiene visit. When she is not in the office, Lauren enjoys spending time with her two young children, husband and friends.
Melissa – Registered Dental Hygienist/Dental Assistant
Melissa joined our team August of 2013. She graduated from Keene State College in 2009 with a B.S. in Biology and a Minor in Management. She received her Associates in Dental Hygiene from NHTI in Concord, NH in 2012. She previously was a dental assistant for over 6 years while working to receive her degrees. She has worked in both general and specialty practices where she has had extensive experience in soft tissue periodontal treatment. She is certified to administer local anesthesia and subgingival soft tissue treatment in periodontal pockets. Melissa continues to take courses in all aspects of oral dental care so as to ensure our patients achieve a lifetime of healthy smiles. Melissa lives in Concord, NH and in her free time enjoys cooking, exercising, being outdoors and playing with her rescue dog, RemDog and her fiancée.
Bev – Patient Coordinator
Beverly has been in the Dental industry for over 40 years as both a Dental Assistant and Office/Patient Coordinator. Bev takes pride in making our patients feel comfortable with any scheduling, insurance, or dental concerns they may have. Her widespread knowledge of the dental field allows her to provide patients with excellent, personalized care and service to make their visits as comfortable and pleasant as possible. In her free time, she volunteers at Concord Hospital and CRVNA Hospice offering Reiki for her patients. Her spare time is filled with photography, cycling and hiking around our beautiful state.
Wendy – Patient / Insurance Coordinator
Wendy joined our team in October 2015. She has been in the dental office administration field since 1998. She is a transplant from Massachusetts who fell in love with New Hampshire after spending many summers here. She loves being able to help patients understand their dental needs and how their dental insurance works. Her priority is helping them maximize their dental benefits. She enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and dog. She enjoys making custom signs in her spare time. Her favorite activity is attending her son’s sports games especially baseball.
Treatment Options
What are the most common treatment options?
Mild Sleep Apnea: Behavioral and lifestyle changes recommended i.e. sleeping on your side vs your back and may also include losing weight, smoking cessation and allergy treatments.
Oral Appliance: These can be used to position the mouth in such a way that it prevents throat blockage. These are designed to open your throat by bringing your jaw forward, which can sometimes relieve snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea.
Dr. Gregg Hillery explains, “Our advanced equipment makes us unique in that we can accurately measure and determine if a patient would be successful in our treatment before any money is spent on the sleep apnea oral appliance. We are proud to say that we have a high success rate in our treatment.”
Dr. Gregg Hillery will help you try different night guard appliances to find the one that works best for you. Once you find the right fit for your custom-made device, you will still need to follow up with Dr. Gregg Hillery repeatedly during the first year and then regularly after that to ensure that the fit is still good and to reassess your signs and symptoms. We know you will see considerable improvements in your health and performance throughout the day if you faithfully wear the appliance while sleeping.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) : a machine that delivers air pressure through a mask placed over your nose while you sleep.
Do you currently have a CPAP but are non-compliant i.e. don't use it? Dr. Gregg Hillery offers alternatives for CPAP intolerant patients. A non-invasive oral appliance may be the solution.
Surgery : Is usually only an option after other treatments have failed. Generally, at least a three-month trial of other treatment options is suggested before considering surgery. However, for those few people with certain jaw structure problems, it's a good first option.
Contact us today to discuss your Sleep Apnea symptoms and treatment options!
Are you experiencing any of these common Sleep Apnea symptoms?
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
- Loud snoring
- Waking up at night gasping or short of breath
- Snorting or choking sounds during the night
- Migraines and/or headaches upon waking
- Falling asleep unintentionally during the day
- Extreme drowsiness during the day
- Increased resting heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Attention problems
- Irritability
Am I at risk for Sleep Apnea? Some of the most common risk factors include :
- Male gender
- Being overweight
- Over the age of 40
- Having a large neck size, that of 17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women
- Having large tonsils, large tongue, or small jaw bone
- A familial history
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)dr
- Nasal obstruction due to deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems
Is it important to get Sleep Apnea treated?
Although you may consider your snoring to be a minor inconvenience, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a serious medical condition and can contribute to various complications if left untreated including hypersomnia-also known as daytime fatigue, headaches and mood changes including depression.
Because of repeated drops of oxygen in the body, sleep apnea can increase blood pressure and undue strain on the cardiovascular system increasing your risk of stroke, heart disease, heart failure, irregular heart beats, and heart attacks. Sleep apnea has also been linked to Type 2 Diabetes and insulin resistance. Be sure to inform your doctor about sleep apnea before any surgery or medications as you will be more prone to breathing problems when sedated or lying on your back. Please call Dr. Gregg Hillery a dentist in Concord for a free consultation to see how we can help you avoid these complications.
Children and Sleep Apnea
Did you know it’s estimated that 1 to 4 percent of children suffer from sleep apnea, many of them being between 2 and 8 years old? Studies have suggested that as many as 25 percent of children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may actually be suffering the consequences of chronic fragmented sleep due to sleep apnea which is visible in daytime fatigue, learning difficulty, hyperactivity and behavior problems.
What can you do? The most common treatment for pediatric sleep apnea is surgical removal of both the adenoids and tonsils which generally eliminates sleep apnea symptoms in 70-90 percent of the cases. Another noninvasive option are oral appliances which are especially helpful for adolescents whose facial bone growth is largely complete. A dentist in Concord, call Dr. Gregg Hillery today for a free consultation to see how we can help your child sleep better and feel better.
Complimentary Consultation
Early identification and diagnosis of Sleep Apnea is important as it can often (if not always) eliminate the need for surgical procedures, which are both costly and often overly invasive “solutions” for an issue that may be addressed through appropriate dental solutions.
Trouble sleeping in Concord? We encourage you to schedule a personal consultation today to see how Dr. Gregg Hillery can help you finally get a good night’s sleep!
Call 603-224-2555 NOW to schedule your Complimentary Consultation or fill in the following form and we will contact you as soon as possible.
Testimonials
Everyone one from the secretaries to the hygienists, and doctor are very friendly and welcoming. Completely non-judgemental, and they were able to get me in for a cleaning in addition to a screening when I was just scheduled for a screening. 12/10 would recommend. - Christopher M.Can’t I award them 10 stars? Seriously the best! Smart. Professional. Fair. Kind. Gentle. Superbly qualified. - Mario C.
I am a Veteran and the VA referred me to Dr. Hillery since he is in the network of seeing veteran patients. He performed an extraction for me and I am extremely grateful for his expertise! He was kind and gentle with my care. He even called me personally yesterday to make sure all was well. I would like to thank him and his staff for making my visit pleasant, although I had to have a tooth removed :) I look forward to my future visits to his office and will recommend Dr. Hillery to anyone who needs dental work. - Donna H.
Dr. Hillery and the staff are wonderful! - Angela F.