A sleep apnea dentist has special training, education, and knowledge to treat and manage sleep apnea using a combination of dental sleep solutions and behavioral modification. After receiving a obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis from a sleep professional, a sleep apnea dentist can administer oral appliances for the successful treatment of sleep apnea and snoring.
Typically, your Chicago dentist is the first professional to spot a potential sleep apnea issue. When he suspects that you have OSA or if you are experiencing any
sleep apnea symptoms, he will likely send you to a sleep specialist. The sleep specialist will diagnose and confirm the disorder — typically after having a
sleep study (or polysomnography), and will likely send you back to the sleep apnea dentist for treatment.
Sleep Dentistry
Sleep dentistry is an area of a dental practice where oral appliance therapy is used to treat sleep apnea, sleep-disordered breathing, and even snoring. Your Chicago sleep apnea dentist works closely with a sleep specialist to determine the best dental sleep solutions to treat your individual case.
There are a number of different treatment options for treating sleep apnea. Your dentist decides on the best treatment depending on how severe your disorder is.
If you have a mild case, he may recommend behavioral changes like losing weight, switching your sleep position, quitting smoking, and having you wear an
oral appliance for sleep apnea while you sleep. This dental appliance helps reposition your tongue and jaw to improve airflow. It looks like a mouth guard you would wear when playing sports.
Benefits of Oral Appliance Therapy
This type of therapy is non-invasive, very effective, and can be fitted into your lifestyle very easily. Some benefits of this appliance include:
- Easy to wear
- Portable
- Comfortable
- Simple to take care of
- Convenient when traveling
- Quiet
Making and Fitting Your Oral Appliance
Your oral appliance is customized in a dental lab for you specifically and is created with physical or digital models and impressions of your teeth.
Once your sleep apnea appliance is ready, your dentist adjusts and fits it to maximize its effectiveness and comfort. You are taught how to maintain and clean it thoroughly. Your sleep apnea dentist will also likely schedule you for another sleep study after your fitting to verify that it’s effective.
Sleep apnea is a serious and often complex disorder, but there are a number of potential solutions. You will be provided with a full range of solutions that most likely will include an oral appliance. You can talk with your sleep apnea dentist about the best treatment option for you.
At
Smile On Dental Salon and Sleep Apnea Center, we specialize in sleep dentistry and the use of oral appliances for the successful treatment of both snoring and sleep apnea. Our team has extensive training, education and experience in
assessing and treating OSA. Dr. Poncza is a Diplomate of American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and only few dentist have this status. He has been successfully treated over 100s of patients and has been a practicing sleep apnea dentist for over 10 years. In addition, we have fostered close relationships with several sleep labs, hospitals, and physicians in the community, and work closely with them to diagnose and treat your sleep apnea.
Contact us here at
Smile On Dental Salon Sleep Apnea Center today at 773-570-1647 to learn more about oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea.
