Sleep Apnea Treatment in Northbrook, IL

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Are you struggling with daytime fatigue, morning headaches, or loud snoring? These could be signs of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder interrupting your breathing during sleep and impacting your overall health and quality of life. At Skale Dental Professionals in Northbrook, IL, we offer comprehensive sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment options to help you achieve restful, uninterrupted sleep and improve your well-being.

Dr. Ryan Skale holds Diplomate certification from the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine and brings advanced training in sleep therapy for both adults and children. Our family-owned dental practice combines over 50 years of experience with modern technology, including our SprintRay 3D printer and Exocad design software, to provide personalized sleep apnea solutions in our newly renovated Northbrook office.

Board Certification in Dental Sleep Medicine

Dr. Ryan Skale’s achievement as a Diplomate of the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine (ABCDSM) represents an important professional accomplishment signifying to patients and healthcare professionals that he has met the highest standards of care as set forth by the ABCDSM. This board certification demonstrates a commitment to excellence in managing sleep-disordered breathing through dental interventions.

Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine focuses specifically on the management of sleep-disordered breathing, including snoring, Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. These conditions can occur independently or coexist with other respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular, and endocrine issues. ABCDSM board-certified dentists adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and continuously refresh their knowledge and skills through the Maintenance of Certification program, ensuring patients receive current, evidence-based care.

This advanced training equips Dr. Skale with a multifactorial understanding of sleep’s nature, essential to achieving optimal outcomes through dental management protocols. Treatment approaches range from conservative measures like weight loss and sleep position changes to sophisticated oral appliance therapy or combination treatments blending oral appliances with CPAP or surgical interventions.

Understanding Sleep Apnea and Its Impact

Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when throat muscles relax and block your airway, while central sleep apnea happens when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles controlling breathing. These breathing interruptions can happen hundreds of times per night, preventing you from reaching the deep, restorative sleep your body needs.

The impact of untreated sleep apnea extends far beyond feeling tired. Sleep apnea is associated with serious health risks, including cardiovascular complications, high blood pressure, stroke, and cognitive impairment. Many people with sleep apnea don’t realize they have it, as the most noticeable symptoms occur during sleep. Partners often report loud snoring, gasping, or breathing pauses the affected person may not be aware of experiencing.

Recognizing Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Sleep apnea symptoms vary from person to person but typically include excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, observed breathing interruptions during sleep, morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and waking with a dry mouth or sore throat. For children, symptoms may include bedwetting, night terrors, poor school performance, and behavioral issues.

These symptoms shouldn’t be ignored. At Skale Dental Professionals, we recognize how sleep apnea can significantly diminish your quality of life and put your long-term health at risk. Dr. Ryan Skale’s training in sleep medicine enables our team to identify potential sleep breathing disorders during routine dental visits and coordinate appropriate diagnostic evaluations.

Comprehensive Sleep Apnea Diagnosis in Northbrook

Accurate diagnosis is the first step in effectively treating sleep apnea. While general symptoms may suggest sleep apnea, a comprehensive sleep evaluation provides definitive answers about the type and severity of your condition. Sleep-disordered breathing diagnosis must be determined by a sleep physician, and we work closely with board-certified sleep medicine doctors throughout Northbrook to ensure you receive thorough diagnostic care.

We help coordinate your sleep study, which may be conducted as either an in-lab sleep study or a more convenient home sleep study, depending on your specific situation. Home sleep studies enable you to undergo testing in the comfort of your own bed, using portable monitoring devices tracking your breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and body position. For more complex cases, we may recommend an in-lab sleep study at a Northbrook sleep center, where trained technicians can monitor additional parameters.

Following your sleep evaluation, our team reviews the results with you and develops a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. With our convenient Northbrook location and collaborative approach with sleep medicine physicians, we make the diagnostic process as smooth and comfortable as possible.

Oral Appliance Therapy for Sleep Apnea

As dental sleep medicine specialists, we excel in providing custom-fitted oral appliances for patients with sleep-disordered breathing. These specially designed devices work by repositioning your jaw and tongue to maintain an open airway during sleep. Management of sleep apnea patients who are candidates for oral appliance therapy involves the selection, fabrication, fitting, and calibration of devices worn during sleep, requiring qualified dentists with knowledge and experience in overall oral health care, the temporomandibular joint, dental occlusion, and associated oral structures.

Dr. Ryan Skale’s Diplomate certification in Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine ensures you receive devices crafted with precision using our advanced SprintRay 3D printer and Exocad design software. This technology allows us to customize the fit and design to your exact specifications, creating appliances comfortable enough for nightly use. For more complex cases requiring advanced therapeutic devices, we partner with Diamond Orthotic Laboratory in San Diego, California, ensuring you receive the highest quality appliances designed to address your specific condition.

Many patients find oral appliances more comfortable and easier to use than CPAP machines, leading to improved treatment compliance and outcomes. These devices are particularly effective for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea or those who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy.

CPAP and Combination Therapy Options

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy remains an effective treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea. This treatment involves wearing a mask during sleep delivering a constant flow of pressurized air to keep your airway open. We provide guidance on CPAP mask fitting and ongoing compliance support to help you adjust to therapy.

For some patients, combination therapy blending oral appliance therapy with CPAP or other interventions provides optimal results. We also offer Bi-PAP therapy as an alternative for patients who cannot tolerate traditional CPAP, providing two pressure levels making breathing more comfortable.

Comprehensive Management and Lifestyle Modifications

Our sleep apnea management program often incorporates lifestyle modifications to complement primary treatments. These may include positional therapy to avoid sleeping on your back, weight management guidance, and evaluation of other factors contributing to your sleep apnea.

For pediatric sleep apnea, Dr. Skale offers care addressing the unique needs of children with sleep-disordered breathing. Senior patients also receive tailored care considering age-related changes in sleep patterns and health concerns. We coordinate with your other healthcare providers to ensure comprehensive care for sleep-related and overall health concerns.

Comprehensive Management and Lifestyle Modifications

Don’t let sleep apnea continue to affect your health and quality of life. At Skale Dental Professionals, our family-owned practice offers treatment in a comfortable, state-of-the-art facility. Dr. Ryan Skale’s Diplomate certification from the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine ensures you receive the highest standards of care for sleep-disordered breathing management. His advanced training in oral appliance therapy, combined with our cutting-edge technology and over 50 years of combined dental experience, provides you with comprehensive solutions tailored to your unique needs.

Take the first step toward restful nights and energetic days by contacting our Northbrook office for a sleep apnea consultation. We work with most insurance plans and can verify your coverage for sleep apnea treatment. Our team is ready to help you discover how our sleep apnea solutions can help you breathe easier and sleep better.

Questions? Ready for a free sleep apnea consultation in NORTHBROOK?

If you have questions about sleep apnea or sleep apnea therapies, or if you would like to request a free consultation with our Northbrook dentists, please call our office today or request an appointment online!

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