Does your significant other sound like a freight train barreling down the tracks when sleeping?  Snoring is not only troubling to the partner, but it can lead to many unrestful nights for the offender!

WHAT CAUSES SNORING?

When sleeping, we often are so relaxed that we lose muscle tone.  Snoring happens when the tongue loses muscle tone and drops to the back of the pharynx (soft palate and throat).  This blocks the airflow.  When the person inhales, the air must get through a constricted pathway causing a vibration.  This vibration sounds much like a chainsaw cutting logs.  Snoring may also be severe in sleep apnea (where the person stops breathing for short periods of time).

HOW CAN DENTISTRY HELP?

Your dental team can fabricate a snore guard.  Connected plastic trays made to fit your teeth go on both the upper and lower teeth.  The strap connecting the upper tray with the lower can be adjusted to pull the lower jaw forward, thus lifting the tongue forward and out of the pharynx.  This opens the airway and stops the snoring.

Prior to having any guard made, it is best to get a sleep study to see if you have sleep apnea.  This disorder is treated differently using a CPAP machine.

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