View location & office hours
It is estimated that more than 80 million people in North America snore while sleeping. National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that 30% of the population under 40 years of age snores, while 50% over the age of 60 snores. Spouses and children are often repeatedly disturbed during their sleep cycles by a snoring family member, which can lead to tension and animosity.
Sleep apnea and snoring can be frustrating for patients and their loved ones. Lack of sleep and the associated physical effects can be life altering or life ending. Recent studies have shown a high percent of patients with sleep apnea and snoring have an increase in arteriosclerosis of the carotid arteries of the neck. This can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack or stroke. Snoring can kill you, according to a UCLA School of Dentistry study; the struggle for air can result in an increase in blood pressure which can damage the walls of the carotid arteries and increase the risk of stroke.
Snoring and sleep apnea can also lead to serious health problems including hypertension, stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and puts the patient at an increased risk for sudden death. The National Council on Sleep Disorders attributes 38,000 cardiovascular deaths per year to health issues caused by sleep apnea.
What causes snoring?
During sleep, the muscles and soft tissue in the throat and mouth relax making the breathing airway smaller. This decrease in the airway space increases the velocity of air flowing through the airway during breathing. As the velocity of required air increases in the constricted space, soft tissue like the soft palate and uvula vibrate. These vibrations of the soft tissues in the mouth and throat result in what is called "noisy breathing" or snoring. It has also been shown in sleep studies that excessive body weight, especially in the throat area, and heavy alcohol consumption or use of other sedatives can increase the severity of snoring.
Surgical techniques to remove respiration impairing structures such as the uvula or enlarged tonsils and adenoids have been among the many attempted snoring remedies. These soft tissue surgical procedures have shown only moderate success rates (e.g. 20 - 40%). At certain levels of severity, complete blockage of the airway space by soft tissues and the tongue can occur. If this period of asphyxiation lasts longer than 10 seconds, this is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
The majority of snorers can be treated with dentist prescribed oral appliances. These appliances can also assist those patients who require surgery to treat their OSA and snoring, increasing success to 85 - 90% in those patients.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
• Waking up after a full night in bed and feeling tired
• Jumping or jerking movements while you sleep
• Waking with a headache
• Feeling sleepy during the day
• Falling asleep during the day
• Waking during the night with a feeling of gasping for air
• Unable to concentrate during the day
• Decrease in psychomotor behavior such as sexual activity
• Snoring loudly or erractically
How can snoring and sleep apnea be treated?
Snoring and sleep apnea both are sleep disordered breathing. Simple snoring represents a mild disorder where breathing becomes very loud but the upper airway is only partially obstructed during sleep. Snoring is a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. However, sleep apnea is a serious medical disorder that occurs because the airway is totally obstructed during sleep and breathing completely stops for 10 seconds or more. In one night, 20 to 30 involuntary breathing pauses can occur. If your partner hears loud snoring punctuated by silences and then a snort or choking sound as you resume breathing, this pattern could signal sleep apnea.
Depending on the severity of your snoring and sleep apnea, several approaches can be used. Often they are used in combination to eliminate the problem. Oral appliances, can be used either alone or following surgery to help increase the airway space.
How does an oral appliance prevent snoring?
Snoring research has shown that oral appliances worn at night that move the lower jaw into a forward position, increase the three dimensional space in the airway tube which reduces air velocity and soft tissue vibration. By increasing the capacity of the airway and preventing soft tissue vibrations, snoring is eliminated. In clinical research studies, these dentist fabricated oral appliances have exhibited initial snoring prevention success rates of between 70 to 100%.
An oral appliance positions the lower jaw into a forward position by means of special connectors that are attached to the upper and lower forms. These forms are custom laminated with heat and pressure to the dentist’s model of your mouth, providing an excellent and comfortable fit with minimal size to the appliance.
Breathing is EASIER with an oral appliance!
How can I determine if an oral appliance will benefit me?
Your dentist can help diagnose this condition or refer you to a specialist. If your dentist believes you have sleep apnea, they may refer you to a physician or sleep specialist. For a proper diagnosis, you may have to undergo an overnight sleep study. With a proper diagnosis, your dentist and doctor can work closely together to implement a plan to help you.