A practicing dentist for more than 20 years, Dr. Christopher Lillo currently serves as a partner in the Oak Ridge Dental Group in Toms River, New Jersey. Dr. Christopher Lillo stands out as one of the few dentists in Monmouth and Ocean Counties to provide treatment for sleep apnea.

2.  A practicing dentist for more than 20 years, Dr.
Christopher Lillo currently serves as a partner in the
Oak Ridge Dental Group in Toms River, New Jersey.
Dr. Christopher Lillo stands out as one of the few
dentists in Monmouth and Ocean Counties to
provide treatment for sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the tissue at
the back of a patient's throat collapses and obstructs
the airway, thus restricting breathing. Reduced
oxygen delivery to the blood and brain often causes
the patient to wake momentarily at multiple points
during the night, which leads to excessive daytime
drowsiness and consistent fatigue.

3.  A number of treatments are available for this condition,
the most popular being oral appliances and continuous
positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices.
Most commonly used for mild to moderate sleep apnea,
oral appliances adjust the position of the tongue, soft
palate, uvula, and lower jaw, thus maintaining an open
airway. Patients may receive these devices from specially
trained dental practitioners. For more severe cases of
sleep apnea, a practitioner may recommend a CPAP
device, which consists of a mask that fits over the nose or
nose and mouth and connects to a machine that blows a
continuous, gentle stream of air into the patient's airway.