Sleep Apnea Treatment

In Gurnee, Illinois
Serving the Chicago metro area

Sleep apnea is a major health concern for millions of Americans and is often ignored or misdiagnosed.

People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly while sleeping. Snoring is often identified with sleep apnea. In some cases breathing can stop hundreds of times during the night, and does not resume for up to a minute or longer at times. One medical study showed that patients with untreated sleep apnea had a 36% decrease in 8 year survival when compared to treated patients.

The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are snoring, witnessed episodes of not breathing, and excessive daytime sleepiness.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by airway blockage, usually when the soft tissue (tongue , soft palate and pharyngeal walls) in the rear of the throat collapses and closes while you sleep. The standard method of treatment has always been CPAP or continuous positive air pressure. While this treatment is very effective, most patients do not tolerate it. Studies have shown that only 23-45% of patients actually use CPAPon a regular basis. Dr. Ira Shapira has been treating Sleep Apnea with oral appliances for over 25 years. The February 2006 Sleep Journal published a report stating the new parameters of care for sleep apnea consider oral appliances a first choice of treatment equal to CPAP for mild to moderate apnea and for severe apnea when patients cannot tolerate CPAP.
Read about CPAP Problems.

I HATE CPAP™!!

THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE COMMENT WE HEAR FROM PATIENTS. THIS DOES NOT MEAN CPAP IS NOT VERY EFFECTIVE, BUT IN OUR PRACTICE WE SEE PATIENTS WHO COULD NOT TOLERATE CPAP, TRAVEL FREQUENTLY AND FIND CPAP A MAJOR INCONVIENENCE OR LIKE TO CAMP AND CANNOT FIND 200 MILE EXTENSION CORD FOR THEIR CPAP MACHINES.

I HATE CPAP SYNDROME

Noisy CPAP Machines can be replaced by comfortable oral appliance ..Read More

Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain "forgets" to tell the breathing muscles to work, which can lead to the individual sleeping through an apneic episode and dying. For this reason, central sleep is far more dangerous than obstructive sleep apnea. It is also very rare. It is best treated with CPAP. It is usually associated with severe neurological problems from organic disease or trauma.

Sleep apnea is very common and potentially fatal. Those who are at the greatest risk are males, the obese, and individuals over the age of forty. There is a surprising number of young healthy males and females that are treated for apnea, snoring and upper airway resistance syndrome who do not resemble the typical patient. Fibromyalgia is a probable result of this disorder for many female patients.

Sleep apnea dentistry treats sleep apnea by opening the air passages. Sleep apnea dentistry often successfully treats the problem with a simple oral appliance, a custom fitted device that repositions the lower jaw and tongue. An oral appliance keeps the airway open and reduces or eliminates apneic events and snoring . After treating hundreds and hundreds of patients, we are still amazed at how well the appliances work and how pleased patients are with them. We have trained sleep labs in Lake and Cook counties as well as in Wisconsin how to titrate appliances during sleep tests. Our goal is that treatment is as effective as CPAP only much more comfortable and used.

Oral Appliances

Sleep apnea dentistry treats sleep apnea by opening the air passages.

Although this may require surgery in some patients, sleep apnea dentistry often successfully treats the problem with a simple oral appliance, a custom fitted device that repositions the lower jaw and tongue. An oral appliance keeps the airway open and reduces or eliminates apneic events.

For more information, please visit us at our Sleep Apnea site.

For your convenience, download our Sleep Screening Questionnaire (PDF) before your next visit.

If you are considering sleep apnea treatment in Chicago, please call or e-mail us today to schedule your initial sleep apnea treatment consultation.