Sleep Apnea & Snoring Therapy

Although snoring can be harmless, it can also be a sign of sleep apnea which occurs when the tongue falls back into the throat during sleep and blocks the airway. Sleep apnea sufferers experience brief pauses in breathing through the night and often snore or wake up gasping for air. This can occur hundreds of times during a single nighttime sleep.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can not only jeopardize your quality of rest, but it can also lead to dangers within your overall health and quality of life. Sleep apnea can contribute to excessive daytime sleepiness and headaches as well as an increased risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and driving accidents. Fortunately, this life-threatening condition can be treated right here in our dental office using a custom-fitted oral appliance.

Oral Appliance Therapy for Snoring and Sleep Apnea Prevention

To prevent snoring and the regular cessations of breathing that occurs with sleep apnea, a nighttime oral appliance can be used. At Springfield Lorton Dental Group, we stay at the forefront of sleep apnea treatment. We offer top quality oral appliances that have been FDA approved for the treatment of mild to moderate sleep apnea. These special appliances hold the lower jaw in a comfortable but more forward position. This allows the airway to remain open while you sleep, thus preventing snoring and reducing or eliminating dangerous sleep apnea episodes. Many patients benefit from oral appliance therapy when they are unable to tolerate a CPAP machine. Oral appliances are also more comfortable and easier to travel with.

If you snore, wake up gasping for air, or show other signs of a sleep apnea disorder, you may need a sleep test. Our dentists will work collaboratively with your physician to ensure your sleep apnea is effectively and comfortably treated. Request an appointment or call our office to schedule a personal consultation during your next visit. You deserve a better night’s rest!

 

Snoring Therapy

Snoring affects millions of people of all ages, both male and female. Oral appliance therapy is the most common treatment for the most severe snoring problems. Treatment procedures range from changing your sleep patterns to utilizing orthodontic-related appliances that help open the airways during sleep.
What makes the sound of snoring?

Snoring is caused by the vibrations of your soft and/or hard tissue palates; these vibrations occur because of increasingly narrow air passages. When air passes through these passages, a “flapping” sound occurs because the tissue is soft in nature. Surgery (to alleviate the snoring) is not always successful, however, because the sound may not originate from the soft palate; the snoring sometimes originates from tissues in the upper airway.

Loud snorers may have a more serious case of blocked air passages, known as apnea.

Common causes for snoring:

• Smoking
• Alcohol
• Health Problems
• Obesity
• Obstructed Nasal Passages – Deviated Septum
• Poor Muscle Tone of the Tongue
• Daytime Fatigue
• Sleep Apnea
• Hypothyroidism
• Allergies