Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Lincolnshire IL
Millions of Americans, including children, suffer from an airway disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Snoring is one of the most common symptoms of OSA, although it isn’t the only one. Chronic fatigue, headaches, and frequent mood swings, or even depression are signs that you may suffer from a sleep-breathing disorder. Drs. Douglas Campbell and David Schmidt, sleep apnea dentists in Lake Forest, have received extensive post-graduate training at LVI Global, which focuses on proper jaw alignment, oral posture, and nasal breathing for improved oral health, and overall health. Find out how our Lake Forest dentists can help you stop snoring.
What is obstructive sleep apnea?
OSA is a sleep-breathing disorder where the airway becomes restricted or completely closed off while sleeping. As air attempts to pass through the blocked airway, it causes the soft tissue to vibrate, leading to the infamous snoring sound. In a case of untreated sleep apnea, the brain awakens out of the deepest stage of sleep, signaling the body to resume breathing. These occurrences are known as apneic episodes. If you have sleep apnea, you probably are unaware that your brain is doing this, except that you always feel tired, have chronic headaches, or other symptoms of sleep apnea.
What causes sleep apnea?
Airway disorders may develop for a variety of reasons. A deviated septum, narrow upper dental arch, open mouth posture, and untreated tongue-tie are common reasons you might have a narrow airway. Being overweight, a smoker or middle-aged increases the risk of sleep apnea. However, sleep-breathing disorders affect all ages, even children! To reduce risks of diseases like cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and even Alzheimer’s, sleep apnea must be managed.
How can the dentist detect sleep apnea?
A practitioner in sleep medicine is the only doctor that can officially diagnose a case of sleep apnea—however, airway dentists in Lake Forest, Drs. Campbell and Schmidt can screen for sleep apnea and look for various factors relating to head and neck anatomy that may indicate that you have OSA. From there, the dentists may refer you for a sleep test to receive an official diagnosis. Together, with your sleep medicine physician, Drs. Campbell and Schmidt provide treatment that manages your sleep apnea.
How Lake Forest Dentists treat sleep apnea
Treating sleep apnea focuses on opening the airway. A CPAP machine is commonly prescribed because it forces air into the airway through a mask that is worn over the mouth and nose. Not everyone is a good candidate for a CPAP. Drs. Campbell and Schmidt use a physiologic dentistry approach in treating sleep apnea. Their philosophy focuses on bite and jaw alignment. If the lower jaw is resting too far back, as is the case in chronic mouth breathers, it causes the airway to collapse. Therefore, bite realignment, occlusal adjustments, or a custom oral appliance that is worn while sleeping that adjusts the lower jaw to a comfortable position to facilitate an open airway and curb snoring, may help manage sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Dentists in Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Lincolnshire
If you think that you have sleep apnea, it’s time to find out by scheduling a consultation with Lake Forest Smiles. There is no cure for sleep apnea, but it can be managed with the right care. You’ll rest better, feel energized, and have improved overall health! Learn more or schedule your sleep apnea evaluation today by calling (847) 234-4800. Drs. Campbell and Schmidt have been providing elite dental care to the communities of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Lincolnshire for more than 30 years. We welcome you to our practice.