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Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a common disorder that affects 25 million Americans of all ages. Those who have this disorder stop breathing for at least 10 seconds while they sleep. This lack breathing causes the person with sleep apnea to partially awaken, leading to fragmented non-refreshing sleep. This can inevitably occur hundreds of times a night, sometimes for a minute or longer.

A good indicator of sleep apnea is snoring. Snoring is not only disruptive, but can lead to several medical problems. Some of the most common medical problems that are a direct result of sleep apnea include:

Loud snoring Choking and gasping during sleep Memory loss High blood pressure Coronary heart disease

Drowsy driving Hypertension Daytime sleepiness Stroke Depression

The Dangers of Snoring

It is estimated that more than 90 million North Americans snore.¹ Taking into account the snorer's spouse and children, as many as 160 million people are negatively affected by snoring. And snoring doesn't merely interrupt your sleep cycle. The struggle for breath can result in soaring blood pressure, which can damage the walls of the carotid arteries and increase the risk of stroke.² At certain levels of severity, complete blockage of the airway space by the soft tissues and the tongue can occur. If this period of asphyxiation lasts longer than 10 seconds, it is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a medical condition with serious long-term effects.³

Complaints
• Gasping, irregular or stopped breathing during sleep
• Falling asleep or chronic fatigue
• Headaches, poor memory or mental performance
• Nighttime reflux, GERD
• Nocturia (nighttime urination)

Health Risks associated with snoring
• Hypertension
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Dementia / Memory Problems/Depression

What causes snoring?
During sleep, muscles and soft tissues in the throat and mouth relax, shrinking the airway. This increases the velocity of airflow during breathing. As the velocity of required air is increased, soft tissues like the soft palate and uvula vibrate. The vibrations of these tissues result in "noisy breathing" or snoring.⁴
Surgical techniques used to remove respiration-impairing structures have shown only moderate success rates (20 to 40 percent).⁵ For the majority of snorers, however, the most affordable, noninvasive, comfortable and effective snoring solution remains a dentist-prescribed snore prevention device.

How can I prevent snoring?
A custom-fabricated dental device that moves the lower jaw into a forward position, increasing space in the airway tube and reducing air velocity and soft tissue vibration can help prevent snoring.

aveoTSD The aveoTSD is a simple treatment for snoring. If you or someone you love suffers from snoring, the aveoTSD anti-snoring device will reenergize your life. Traditional mandibular advancement devices indirectly move the tongue forward by moving the mandible. But the aveoTSD directly suctions onto the tongue, preventing it from falling back into the throat and increasing airway volume. Made of medical-grade silicone, the aveoTSD is the only anti-snoring device that is indicated for anyone — including those who wear full dentures!

Silent Nite® Slide-Link Silent Nite sl is a custom-fabricated dental device that moves the lower jaw into a for- ward position, increasing space in the airway tube and reducing air velocity and soft tissue vibration. Special Slide-Link connectors are attached to transparent flexible upper and lower forms. The forms are custom laminated with heat and pressure to the dentist's model of the mouth. The fit is excellent and comfortable, permitting small movements of the jaw (TMJ) and allowing uninhibited oral breathing.

Contact us for more information about Snoring and Sleep Apnea treatment.

References
1. Young T, Palta M, Dempsey], et al. The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults. N Engl J Med. 1993,328(17),1230-5.
2. Friedlander AH, Yueh R, Littner MR. The prevalence of calcified carotid artery atheromas in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 1998;56(8):950-4.
3. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. International Classification of Sleep Disorders (JCSD), Rochester, Minn., 1990.
4. lsono S, Remmers J. Anatomy and physiology of upper airway obstruction. Kryger MH, Roth T, Dement W'C, eds. Principles and Practice oj Sleep Medicine, 2nd ed. WB Saunders and Co. 1994:642-56.
5. Kopp HP. Snore Device Specifications. ERKODENT Erich Kopp GmbH, Siemen-strassa 3, D-72285 Pfalzgrafenweiler, Germany.

 

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