Your Ontario Invisalign® Provider
Do you often feel tired during the day or have headaches regularly? This could be due do a lack of quality sleep. Waking up gasping for air or snoring heavily during sleep are typically the most common signs of sleep apnea, but there can be others as well.
With sleep apnea, your brain wakes up just enough to restart breathing. This will normally happen if your body hasn't taken a breath in about a minute or so. It could occur up to 500 times per night, never allowing you to enter a state of truly deep, restful sleep.
You may also have a higher risk for heart attack and stroke with sleep apnea, as well as elevated blood pressure, liver problems and Type 2 diabetes.
Non-Invasive Procedures First
Your doctor may recommend using an oral appliance to keep your mouth tissues in place. You may also receive a prescription for a CPAP machine to help you breathe at night. Weight can also contribute to sleep apnea. If you are overweight, your doctor will likely recommend that you lose weight as a treatment method.
Surgical Procedures
If the non-invasive options don't help with sleep apnea, then your doctor may recommend surgery to help alleviate the condition. The good news is that there are many effective procedures to help treat sleep apnea. These include:
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)
A UPPP procedure shortens the soft palette by removing a portion of the uvula. This is one of the most common surgeries for treating sleep apnea. Reducing this amount of soft tissue leaves more room for airflow.
Hyoid Suspension
With a hyoid suspension, the neck’s hyoid bone anchors to the thyroid cartilage, or Adam's apple. This creates a larger space and stabilizes the airway.
Genioglossus Advancement (GA)
A Genioglossus Advancement (GA) is commonly performed with a UPPP or hyoid suspension. This surgery shortens and tightens the tongue's front tendon so it's less likely to collapse during sleep and cause the airway to become blocked.
Maxillomandibular Advancement (MMA)
The maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) is probably the most invasive of all the options available. With the MMA, the upper and lower jaws, as well as the mouth’s soft tissues, are moved forward to open the airway. This is normally only recommended to patients who don't qualify for the other surgeries listed above. Those who do not have enough space in their mouth to facilitate clear breathing may be candidates for this surgery.
Is surgery the right choice for me?
The only time you should consider sleep apnea surgery is when you've exhausted all other options and the sleep apnea still persists. Still, your doctor is the best person to speak to about your treatment options.