Sleep Apnea and severe teeth grinding - newbie - 36 years old male

I am 36 years old male. I went through sleep test and found that I have supine AHI of 24.8. Below is my complete report.

How bad is this considered to be? Do I need to use CPAP machine?

The reason I went for sleep test is because of griding teeth. Every morning I wake up with sore gums and 2 of my root-canals cracked recently and I got dental implants. I am apprehensive that if grinding continues it will just invite more troubles for my dental health.

Any help/advice is highly appreciated.

PROCEDURE:
This attended polysomnogram montage using Compumedics Profusion 3 Software included recorded video, 6 EEG electrodes for frontal, central, and occipital monopolar recordings, 2 EOG electrodes, ECG, and chin EMG electrodes, snoring microphone, thermistor, airflow pressure, thoracic, and abdominal respiratory effort, pulse oximetry, leg movement, body sleeping position, and body movement. Please note that the AHI greater than 4% in this report is consistent with the current Hypopnea definition according to Medicare Criteria and is consistent with the current Hypopnea definition according to AASM criteria. The 30 sec. epochs were scored according to the AASM Manual for the scoring of Sleep and Associated Events: Rules, Terminology and Technical Specifications edition (Ver. 2.3).

*SLEEP SCORING DATA: *

Lights Out / On (clock times): 21:30:30 / 06:01:31

Total Recording Time (TRT) (min): 718.5

Total Sleep Time (TST) (min): 428.5

Sleep Efficiency: 83.9%

Sleep Latency (min): 40.5

Stage REM Latency (min): 72.5

Wake after sleep onset (WASO) (min): 42.0

Stage N1 Sleep (min, % of TST): 7.5 (1.8%)

Stage N2 Sleep (min, % of TST): 312.5 (72.9%)

Stage N3 Sleep (min, % of TST): 57.5 (13.4%)

Stage R Sleep (min, % of TST): 51.0 (11.9%)

Supine Sleep (min): 229.5

Arousals (index, #): 22.7 (162)

RESPIRATORY ANALYSIS: (index = #/hr)

Apnea/Hypopnea Index (AHI): 17.4

*AHI 4% or greater: 2.9

NREM AHI: 18.6

REM AHI: 8.2

Non-Supine AHI: 8.7

Supine AHI: 24.8

*Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI): 19.6 *

NREM RDI: 20.7

REM RDI: 11.8

Apneas (index, #): 0.8 (6)

Obstructive Apneas (index, #): 0.8 (6)

Mixed Apneas (index, #): 0.0 (0)

Central Apneas (index, #): 0.0 (0)

Hypopneas (index, #): 16.5 (118)

RERAs (index, #): 2.2 (16)

Mean Awake SpO2: 95%

Mean Sleep SpO2: 95%

Minimum Sleep SpO2: 85%

Sleep Time with SpO2 < 88% (min, % of TST): 0.6 (0.1%)

Cheyne Stokes breathing: No

Snoring: Moderate to loud

CARDIAC ANALYSIS:

Mean Awake HR: 71

Mean Sleep HR: 71

Bradycardia: No

Asystole: No

Sinus tachycardia: No

Narrow Complex Tachycardia: No

Wide Complex Tachycardia: No

Atrial Fibrillation: No

Other: None

LIMB MOVEMENT ANALYSIS:

Periodic Limb Movements of sleep (PLMS) (index, #): 0.0 (0)

PLMS with arousals (index, #): 0.0 (0)

OTHER ABNORMALITIES:

No other unusual body movements were demonstrated and no seizure activity was noted.

CLINICAL INTERPRETATION:

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea, moderate with worsening in supine sleep

I am not a medical person but it appears your sleep apnea episodes may be a bit more frequent when on your back as opposed to your side. Both showed apnea frequency in the moderate stage. I am surprised the report didn't mention blood oxygen levels. You stop breathing during apnea and O2 levels fall. Low O2 levels struck me in my own report and therapy fixed this. The report describes your sleep quality which is also important and I won't guess how to read the report. I am guessing the Stage R sleep is the deepest and it appears you were not there for long during a long night of being hooked up to all the wires which seem to not be conductive to sound sleep. I slept great on my sleep study with my first dose of CPAP therapy.

In any case, your AHI regardless of sleep position very very likely warrants some sort of PaP therapy and I believe the teeth grinding may be a separate issue but must be addressed for the sleep apnea therapy to be well addressed. I wear an MMA mouthguard with full face mask and I doubt you could grind your teen using a mouthguard. I wear it to keep my jaw from sagging and causing mouth leaks. I would talk with your doctor to see if the doc has a more informed medical opinion on this. The study will also provide a prescription for machine mode and pressure settings.

Thank you wiredgeorge, appreciate your reply.

BTW, regarding the blood oxygen level, I see these in my report, I understand that it is related to oxygen levels, no?

Mean Awake SpO2: 95%

Mean Sleep SpO2: 95%

Minimum Sleep SpO2: 85%

Sleep Time with SpO2 < 88% (min, % of TST): 0.6 (0.1%)

You are 100 percent correct.... that ain't bad, as they say, mine dipped to LOW 70s for extended periods, hence I think I am now brain dead hehe You time at low O2 (doesn't seem real low at all) is kind of minimal. I think the low O2 levels I had contributed to the day time fogginess and nodding off I had prior to therapy.

Hi ConscientiousRedCurlew3163. Your report does appear to be consistent with moderate sleep apnea. Your sleep physician should work with you to decide the best type of treatment (CPAP, APAP, oral appliance, etc.). Stage N3 is actually your deepest stage of sleep, also sometimes called slow wave sleep, and it does appear that your sleep apnea is worse when you are sleeping on your back. That tends to be true for a lot of us. Best wishes, and please keep us posted on your progress!