Snore Experts Inc

18372 Clark St. #224

Tarzana, CA 91356

(818) 578-3500

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Mandibular Advancement Devices Address Sleep Apnea

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Mandibular Advancement Devices Address Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA occurs when there is repeated and intermittent closure of the upper airway (UA) during sleep. It is a result of the pharyngeal walls, tongue and soft palate collapsing. If this closure is complete, it results in apnea and partial closure leads to hypopnea.

Snoring has significant ramifications on our health despite how rampant it is among the common populace. Repetitive apnea can result in negative effects in the nervous system, changes in myocardial and cerebral circulation as well as changes in pulmonary and systemic circulation.

Pharyngeal narrowing results in snoring. It is a result of the vibration of the soft parts of the UA – the uvula, the pharyngeal walls, and the veils of the palate. It is the most common symptom of sleep apnea. Associated nocturnal signs are xerostomia, salivation, altered sleep patterns, and suffocative feeling. Signs displayed during the day include irritability, headache, depression, and gastroesophageal reflux.

Manage Snoring with Mandibular Advancement Devices

Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) help manage snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea. They can even help with severe patients that are intolerant to CPAP. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine published a guideline in 1995 that stated MAD was indicated as first-line therapy for mild OSA and second-line therapy for moderate to severe OSA.

There are two different types of MADs – fixed advancement and adjustable advancement. They are devices that are introduced into the mouth to modify the position of the jaw, the tongue, and other supporting structures of the upper airway to treat chronic snoring and OSA.

NightLase is a laser therapy approved by the FDA. It involves the use of laser pulses that effectively target the oral mucosa tissue. It works well on the oral mucosa tissue and heats it, thereby tightening the tissues and thus stimulating the production of collagen.

MADs aim to improve a patient’s quality of sleep as well as the sleep quality of those around them by reducing or even eliminating snoring and respiratory pauses during sleep.

How Do Mandibular Advancement Devices Work?

Mandibular Advancement Devices generate anatomical variations in the upper airway by carrying out anterior and inferior movement of the jaw, enabling an increase in the pharyngeal area.

The movement prevents the blockage of the airway by stabilizing and fixing the jaw and hyoid bone and working to prevent the posterior rotation of these structures using the decubitus. The main effect is observed in the velopharyngeal area, but repercussions are felt for all the pharyngeal segments.

Snoring is drastically reduced as the soft palate is displaced ventrally, increasing the caliber of the lateral walls of the velopharyngeal area.

Contact the Snore Experts

Constant and loud snoring can be the result of sleep apnea and if left untreated, it can adversely affect the lives of those around you and most importantly, your quality of life and your health. If this is an issue that you deal with and you want to fix it, contact the Snore Experts to schedule your initial consultation today.

Posted by jess on Dec 26th, 2018 11:58 pm
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CPAP/APAP

HOW DO I USE A CPAP?

Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) is considered by many the gold standard for the treatment of sleep apnea, especially for very severe cases. The CPAP and APAP machines are designed to increase air pressure going through the throat. This prevents the airway from collapsing during inhalation. At Snore Experts, we have helped countless patients get a good night’s rest using CPAP treatments to treat their sleep apnea. The goal of positive airway pressure is to keep the airway from collapsing using air pressure.