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 causes 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.
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
Sleep Apnea
Loud snorers may have a more serious case of blocked air passages, known as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). In these cases, the blockage of air is so great that no air can get through, causing repeated awakenings throughout the night. Obstructive sleep apnea can contribute or lead to many other conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and depression, so it is important to be diagnosed by a medical professional if you experience any sleep-related symptoms.
Treatment
Our office uses the Silent Nite® system to help combat and prevent snoring. The Silent Nite system is a fabricated plastic tray that is individually customized to fit your teeth. The tray is positioned in a way to keep your lower jaw positioned forward, maximizing space in the airway, and preventing snoring. The Silent Nite is especially effective, with initial studies suggesting an effectiveness rate between 70-100 percent.
Bruxism
While it may not contribute directly to snoring or sleep apnea, bruxism (teeth grinding) and teeth clenching is an unconscious habit performed while you sleep that can seriously endanger the health of your teeth. In fact, patients afflicted with bruxism or clenching may, in fact, “wear down” the enamel on their teeth up to ten times faster than other patients. To combat these problems, we offer customized acrylic nightguards to provide temporary relief from grinding, and to prevent further enamel damage.