Sleep Apnea Treatment – Franklin Park, IL
Get the Quality of Rest That You Deserve
Do you chronically snore every night, waking up your partner or roommate? Sleeping disorders may seem harmless, but they can have a serious impact on your overall wellbeing when they’re not treated. The most common form of sleep apnea, called obstructive sleep apnea, is said to impact two to nine percent of the population. If you’re experiencing any symptoms of sleep apnea, which we’ve listed below, contact our dental office so we can help find a sleep apnea treatment in our Franklin Park, IL dental office to correct the issue and improve your health.
Why Choose Grand Dental - Franklin Park for Sleep Apnea Treatment?
- Reducing Risk of Medical Conditions
- Customized Sleep Appliances
- Wake Up Feeling Well-Rested
Why is Sleep Apnea So Dangerous?
Yes, sleep apnea interrupts your sleep, which can leave you feeling fatigued, but it also impacts the amount of oxygen that’s able to get to your brain. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in your throat will intermittently relax throughout the night, blocking your airways and creating “episodes” where you temporarily stop breathing. This can cause you to wake up gasping for breath throughout the night and prevent you from reaching deep sleep.
Over time, the lack of oxygen and quality rest will take a toll on your body, causing a variety of health conditions, such as:
- High blood pressure
- Strokes, including silent or mini strokes
- Irregular heartbeat
- Heart attacks and heart failure
- Worsening ADHD
- Depression
The Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
In order to get the treatment you need, be sure to keep an eye out for any of the following symptoms:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Tiredness
- Dry mouth
- Sore throat
- Insomnia
- Inability to sleep through the night
- Restlessness during the night
- Short-term memory problems
- Memory/concentration difficulties
- Intellectual deterioration
- Snoring
If you or your sleep partner is experiencing any of these signs, please call us or visit a professional for a sleep study. Once you’ve been diagnosed, you can visit us for a consultation so we can help treat your condition.
How Can We Help?
Our team at Grand Dental in Franklin Park will work closely with your primary care physician to obtain a sleep study and develop a customized treatment plan. A CPAP machine may be suggested to you to help keep your airways open and ensure that you’re receiving enough oxygen. Some people have difficulty using this device because it’s loud and requires you to sleep with a nose mask on, which can be uncomfortable. As an alternative, we offer customized sleep apnea devices that fit in your mouth like a nightguard to help open your airways to ensure optimal oxygen flow.
Sleep Apnea FAQs
Does everyone who snores have sleep apnea?
No, just because you snore does not mean that you also have sleep apnea in Franklin Park, and vice versa. Snoring is considered a symptom, but it is not a clear indicator that obstructed breathing occurs. The only way to formally diagnose this condition is with a sleep study, which can be performed in a local laboratory or with an at-home test that is worn throughout the night.
It’s believed that more than 20 million people in the United States are living with sleep apnea – 20 percent of whom are adults.
How long are typical apnea events or episodes?
The average timeframe for apnea events or episodes is 10 seconds or more. Extreme cases can last as long as two minutes. Depending on the person and the severity of their apnea, they can experience between five and 30 episodes every hour. Experts agree that 0-15 events per hour is considered mild, but 30 times or more each hour is severe.
Only a scheduled sleep test can reveal the severity of a person’s apnea, as well as what kind they have – obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea (CSA), or a combination of both.
Can my dentist diagnose sleep apnea?
No, while your dentist can treat you for sleep apnea, they cannot formally diagnose it. Only a licensed sleep doctor or physician can analyze data collected from a sleep study and provide a clear conclusion. Once you receive this information, you can move forward with treatment, which can include CPAP therapy, a custom oral appliance, lifestyle changes, or combined therapy (using both a CPAP and oral appliance).
A sleep dentist can equip you with a customized oral appliance so that you can begin to get the rest you need without maneuvering around a bulky machine.
What does sleep apnea look like for women?
Sleep apnea is more common among men; however, women are not immune. Snoring and daytime fatigue may be likely symptoms for males, but females tend to experience instances of insomnia, depression, anxiety, and other similar signs.
Pregnant women and those who are post-menopausal and/or overweight are at a significantly higher risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
How can I travel with sleep apnea?
When traveling, toting around a CPAP machine can be difficult because they’re often bulky. However, if you have an oral appliance, these portable, handheld devices can be placed in your carry-on luggage, making it easy to transport. The best part is that you can go to sleep even while on a plane because your oral appliance can fit inside your pocket for quick access.