Sleep Apnea

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Snoring can be a symptom of the more serious Sleep Apnea condition. In snoring the tongue falls back and blocks the airway passages for a short time. Sleep Apnea is a chronic sleep disorder that creates breathing pauses while the person is sleeping. These lapses in breathing can last for several seconds or minutes and can occur several times within an hour. In some studies, Sleep Apnea has been linked to heart disease and is even believed to be one factor that can contribute to having a stroke.

There are many causes of Snoring and Sleep Apnea including obesity and hereditary factors.

Treatment Options

Dental Appliance
There are dental devices that can be used to reposition the lower jaw during sleep so that it is held in front of the normal biting position to pull the tongue forward and gently away from the airway. The device, when worn nightly will help prevent snoring and minimize sleep apnea.

Neuromuscular Dentistry
Sometimes snoring and sleep apnea are a result of a collapsed bite  that allows the jaw to sag backwards during sleep, thereby allowing the tongue to block the air way causing "breathing pauses". Restoring a collapsed bite can therefore go a long way towards alleviating these problems.