Snoring & Sleep Apnea

What are the symptoms of Snoring and Sleep Apnea?

• Waking up after a full night in bed and feeling tired
• While you sleep, do you jump or jerk
• 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
• Snore loudly or erractically

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 such as the TAP or OASYS, can be used either alone or following surgery to help increase the airway space. Snoring research has shown that custom fabricated dental 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 volumetric 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%

 

Continuous positive airway pressure (C-pap) involves the use of a mask worn over the nose during sleep that blows air into your throat to maintain an open airway decreasing airway collapse.

Surgical approaches include; trimming of the soft palate and uvula with a laser called laser assisted uvuloplasty (LAUP). Radio-frequency devices have been used to shrink tissues in the throat and nose. Correction of deviated septum and trimming of the bony turbinates of the nose has been used to increase nasal airflow.

Dr Smith will work with a sleep disorders physician to help determine the proper treatment for your snoring or sleep apnea. He is trained in the fabrication and adjustment of oral appliances.