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SNORING AND SLEEP DENTISTRY

Sleep is critical to a healthy life and without the right amount and correct balance of sleep, our bodies slip into disease. Sleep is essential for repair, rejuvenation and memory consolidation; sleep IS important.

Snoring is a serious problem for many people night after night. Not only does it affect your health but also the health of your bed partner by consistently disrupting their sleep. Snoring alone affects about 40% of the population. It is the sound made when the tissues of the soft palate, tongue and throat partially block the airway and vibrate against the back of the throat during sleep. Benign Snoring can be treated quite predictably with an Oral Appliance. However, it is essential to rule out deadly Obstructive Sleep Apnoea first.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a condition in which the tissues of the throat and tongue collapse, leading to periods of obstruction and, hence, suffocation. By definition, an apnoeic event is one in which the obstruction lasts for 10 seconds or more. As the oxygen level falls and CO₂ levels rise, the brain is aroused into action and “wakes” you to breathe. This can happen many hundreds of times throughout the night, leading to unrefreshing sleep and excessive daytime fatigue. OSA suffers have significantly higher rates of high blood pressure, stroke, depression, impotence, other chronic diseases and stand out in motor vehicle and industrial accidents.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is divided into:

• Slight 5-15 events per hour
• Moderate 15-30 events per hour
• Severe >30 events per hour

Do you have any of the following signs or symptoms?

• Snoring
• Headaches (especially morning)
• Excessive daytime sleepiness whilst sitting and reading or watching TV
• Worn teeth
• Reflux
• Poor memory
• Jaw joint pain

What about your kids?

• Bedwetting
• Crooked teeth
• Worn teeth caused by grinding their teeth
• Headaches
• Hyperactivity (ADHD)
• Mouth breathing

Fortunately modern treatments are available which will enormously improve your life quality and longevity. The main treatment options are:

• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP, APAP)
  These units supply a positive airflow through a variety of oral and nasal mask systems to keep the airway open at night. A bit like going to bed with SCUBA gear on however!
  
  For more information see www.resmed.com.au
  
  
• Mandibular Advancement Devices
  These oral devices hold your bottom jaw forward at night- just like we do when we commence CPR. They open the airway and maintain it. MAD’s tend to be less intrusive and all studies show a very high compliance rate compared to CPAP. They are generally used as first-line treatment for slight to moderate OSA, although new research is also suggesting that MAD’s may be as effective as CPAP for severe cases also. Stay tuned!
  
  For more information see www.somnomed.com.au
  
  
  
  
• Surgery
  Most surgical interventions do not provide significant long-term improvements. However, Maxillo-Mandibular advancement (double jaw surgery) can provide stable long-term results. This would be done in conjunction with Orthodontics and is major surgery carried out by a Maxillo-Facial Surgeon.

Please contact us for an appointment with your dentist to discuss your treatment options.

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