Snoring and Sleep Apnea Solutions

Did you know that snoring could indicate a medical condition called sleep apnea? This sleep disorder may not only compromise your quality of life but also lead to very serious health consequences. Dr. Jack Manikowski at LPS Dental is trained to treat and manage sleep apnea in Chicago. He works closely with a team of sleep specialists to treat this potentially dangerous medical condition.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, Dr. Jack encourages you to book an appointment with him to learn about your treatment options.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by a pause in breathing during sleep. The airway collapses or becomes blocked as you sleep, causing shallow breathing or pauses. Snoring is caused by air squeezing past the blockage.

Breathing pauses can occur many times throughout the night (30 times or more in an hour) and can last from 10 seconds to several minutes. Normal breathing then resumes, sometimes with a snort or choking sound.

If your breathing pauses during your sleep, you will often move from a deep sleep into a light sleep, or even momentarily wake up (sometimes without realizing it). This poor quality of sleep usually leads to being excessively tired during the day.

Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed during an overnight sleep study called a polysomnogram, which charts your brain waves, heartbeat and breathing pattern.

How Sleep Apnea Can Affect Your Life

People with sleep apnea may experience a number of sleep apnea side effects, ranging from minor sleep disruptions to chronic health conditions and possible emergency dental situations. Sleep apnea may cause someone to experience poor mental functioning, including poor judgment, lack of focus, memory loss and mood swings. People with sleep apnea are also more likely to fall asleep at the wheel due to daytime drowsiness.

Sleep apnea gets progressively worse with age, weight gain and smoking. Patients with diabetes are also at a higher risk of developing sleep apnea.

Sleep More Soundly With a “Snore Guard”

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you have two primary options: bulky, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, or advanced oral appliance therapy. Many of Dr. Jack’s patients have found success with the latter.

Oral appliance therapy involves small plastic devices that are custom-made to fit into the mouth like a sports mouth guard or retainer. Comfortable and unobtrusive, they help to keep the jaw held in a forward position and the airway open during sleep. Oral appliance therapy can improve your breathing, dramatically reduce — or even eliminate! — nightly snoring and enable you to enjoy a better night’s sleep.

Learn More about Sleep Apnea Treatment in Chicago

To book an appointment with Dr. Jack, a Chicago sleep apnea treatment provider, please call LPS Dental at 312-337-1665 or send us an message.