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Bergen County Cosmetic Dentists
Ridgewood Dental Associates

Help For Snoring

While snoring itself may be harmless, it can also develop into, or be a symptom of, a more serious medical condition known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

What causes snoring?

Snoring is caused by a narrow airway. That's because air avels faster through a slender tube than through a broad one. This rapidly moving air causes the soft tissues of the throat (the tonsils, soft palate, and uvula) to vibrate. It is this vibration which is the sound of snoring. It's like putting a flag in front of a fan; the faster the fan, the greater the flutter.

Why is the airway narrow in snorers? Many things can take up space in the airway reducing its diameter. These can include large tonsils, a long soft palate or uvula, and, in people who are overweight, excessively flabby tissue. The most common cause of a narrowed airway is a tongue that relaxes too much during sleep and gets sucked back into the airway with each breath taken.

What is obstructive sleep apnea?

When the tongue is sucked completely against the back of the throat, the airway is blocked and breathing stops. Once that happens, the harder the sleeper tries to breathe, the tighter the airway seal becomes. It's like trying to drink through a straw that's stuck in a lump of ice cream. The harder you suck, the flatter the straw becomes.

The airway obstruction won't clear until the brain's oxygen level falls low enough to partially awaken the sleeper. The tongue then returns to a more normal position, and the airway seal is broken - usually with a loud gasp.

Bergen County Cosmetic Dentist Solutions for Snorers

Mild or occasional snoring and symptoms of OSA may be alleviated by lifestyle changes:

Losing Excess Weight
Getting Regular Exercise
Within three hours of bedtime, avoiding alcohol, heavy meals, and medications that make you drowsy.

When symptoms are more severe, and these measures don't resolve the problem, other treatment options may include:

Surgery to the nose, throat, tongue, or jaw.
Nasal CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), a therapy in which an air compression device and a nose mask are used to force the airway open and aid breathing during sleep.
Dental Appliance Therapy, which is an effective way of treating snoring and OSA for many patients. It may be employed on its own, or in combination with other methods of treatment.

What is a dental appliance?

A dental appliance is a small plastic device, similar to an orthodontic retainer or an athletic mouthguard. It is worn in the mouth during sleep to prevent the soft throat tissues from collapsing and obstructing the airway. Dentists with training in dental appliance therapy can design, construct, and fit these special appliances to meet their patients' individual situations and conditions.

In recent case studies, physicians and dentists have found that, in a majority of patients, a well-made, well-fitted dental appliance will effectively reduce or eliminate snoring, and significantly relieve symptoms of mild and moderate OSA.

Dental appliances work in three ways: by bringing the lower jaw forward, by holding the tongue forward, and by lifting a drooping soft palate. A combination appliance may perform two or more of these functions at the same time. Dental appliance therapy is not a new idea. It was in use as far back as the early 1900s. But it was not until the 1980's that physicians and dentists began to work together to study and develop this alternative form of treatment, enabling more patients to benefit from it.

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Dr Kenneth Hilsen, Prosthodontist and Makeover Dentist - Providing services in cosmetic dentistry to the areas of Ridgewood and Bergen County.