Oral Appliance Therapy
Although CPAP is the most commonly prescribed treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, it is one of the most uncomfortable, unpleasant, and difficult to use treatments. It is also a much more dramatic solution than is necessary in many cases. Oral appliances, on the other hand, directly target the cause of most obstructive sleep apnea: the collapse of airways during sleep as a result of muscle relaxation.
Oral appliances for the treatment of sleep apnea work by keeping the soft tissue collapse that obstructs the airways. Worn in the mouth like an orthodontic appliance during sleep, oral appliances reposition the lower jaw, tongue, soft palate, and hyoid bone to keep the airway open. In addition, the appliances increase muscle tone to prevent collapse and resulting airway blockage. Dr. Shapira will fit your oral appliance for comfort by using a mold of your mouth to design a uniquely fitting appliance.
Sleep apnea is defined as the cessation of breathing during sleep for at least 10 seconds, and at least 5 times in an hour.
But there is help out there!
Following your complete diagnosis, Dr. Shapira will recommend an oral appliance if necessary, and will help you choose from among the list of FDA-approved oral appliances according to that which best meets your needs for prevention of airway constriction, including whether you need tongue positioning or not. Once you have been fitted with an oral appliance, you will receive follow-up consultations to ensure that the appliance is sufficiently curing the problem.
To learn more about oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea, consult our oral appliance FAQ, then please call or email the Snoring and Sleep Apnea Treatment Center in Gurnee, Illinois for a free initial sleep apnea consultation.
| Delany Dental Center | Schaumburg Dental Center | |
| 1810 Delany Road | 129 S. Roselle Road | |
| Gurnee, IL 60031 | Schaumburg, IL 60193 | |
| 1-8-NO-PAP-MASK | 1-8-NO-PAP-MASK | |
| (1-866-727-6275) | (1-866-727-6275) | |
| OR 847-623-5530 | OR 847-623-5530 | |
| American Sleep Medical Center | Sleep & Behavioral Medical Institute | |
| 8930 Gross Point Rd. Ste 700 | 2151 Waukegan Rd. Ste 120 | |
| Skokie, IL 60077 | Bannockburn, IL 60015 | |
| 1-8-NO-PAP-MASK | 1-8-NO-PAP-MASK | |
| (1-866-727-6275) | (1-866-727-6275) | |
| OR 847-623-5530 | OR 847-623-5530 | |
