Too many people suffer with a poor night’s sleep because they aren’t breathing properly. As a result, they are miserable and unproductive during the day. This poor breathing can lead to snoring, which can keep your partner awake. And we all can identify with how counterproductive it can be for your relationship to chase your partner out of the bedroom!
The likely cause of this breathing problem and snoring is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Folks with OSA have a blockage somewhere in the airway, between the nose and throat, before the air reaches the trachea. One excellent way to cure the problem is removal of the obstruction. Surgical correction is very expensive and highly invasive, if usually successful.
Another popular and less expensive approach for addressing OSA is the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device, or CPAP. This is a unit that forces air, under pressure, through the airway past the obstruction. It features a cumbersome mask that is difficult to get used to and does not do anything to help relations with your partner! I used to suffer from acute OSA and tried the CPAP, but I could not sleep due to the noise and air blowing into my eyes. It turns out that a large percentage of OSA patients won’t use their CPAP due to that difficulty.
Dentistry, my profession, came up with a solution which was quite logical—treat the obstruction. Many types of dental appliances were designed for this purpose, often having painful side effects. One of the problems with early devices was the locking of the jaw in one position which did not allow movement. Another problem stemmed from merely positioning the jaw forward with the appliance, therefore not knowing for sure if the obstruction was corrected.
As with many things in medical science, trials led to advancements. Two such advances solved the dental device problems discussed above; the Acoustic Pharyngometer and the SomnoDent appliance.
The Acoustic Pharyngometer is a sound wave generator, analyzed by a computer, which gives the practitioner a very accurate diagram of the airway. The jaw can then be positioned in three dimensions until the obstruction is gone and at that posture, registrations can be made to fabricate an appliance. The SomnoDent (essentially a small mouthpiece) postures the jaw properly, allows for movement, and affords flexibility if the appliance needs adjustment. Allowing the jaw to move prevents the pain associated with locking a joint.
So instead of a large, not particularly sexy mask and tank blowing air all over your head, we have a small mouth piece scientifically adjusted to remove obstructions from your airway and allow you to breathe, talk and drink.
I have referred many patients back to the sleep study center which has verified that the SomnoDent has effectively treated OSA. There are rare occasions when the obstruction is too great to overcome, but the beauty of the Pharyngometer is that this problem will be identified and an appropriate alternative treatment can be explored. You can read more about this situation by visiting www.aodtc.com.
Now there is no excuse. OSA can and must be treated. To not correct OSA will not only result in increased morbidity (multiple health problems) and regular crappy days as a result of poor sleep, but can also drive your partner into another room. I don’t know about you, but that’s not a side effect I want in my life!
Dr. Brown loves to hear from his readers. You can contact him at 925-837-8048 or at drbobdds@aol.com.