Gregory Ross of Ross Orthodontics started practicing in 1995, after graduating from the University of Minnesota. “He started with a group practice [in Hudson], then took off on his own in 2012,” says Holly Spannbauer, office manager at Ross Ortho. Now Ross has two locations (one in Hudson and one in Forest Lake, Minn.) at which he is the sole doctor. He specializes in orthodontics and dental sleep medicine. The latter is what really sets him apart.
When Ross learned he had sleep apnea, but couldn’t tolerate the CPAP machine used to treat it, he decided to take measures into his own hands. He began exploring oral appliances that might treat the symptoms of sleep apnea, specifically blocked airways and eventually created his own device designed for comfort.
The registered trademark that spawned from this invention involves taking a scan of the patient’s teeth and custom fitting the device specifically for their unique mouth cavity. The EMA (Elastic Mandibular Advancement) device “is designed to both advance the lower jaw (mandible) and open the bite to allow for less restricted airflow during sleep,” Spannbauer says.
Ross’s sleep apnea devices have made him well known in the local orthodontics world. And now he has a patented device of his own, he can sleep better and know he’s helping patients everywhere with their sleep apnea. Overall, Spannbauer says, “Dr. Ross focuses on healthy smiles, evaluating breathing and airway passages, not just straightening teeth.”
