Treatment of snoring using mouthguards
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Snoring is caused by constriction of the breathing muscles in the upper airways during sleep. This constriction increases the airflow in the airway, causing vibrations heard as snoring.
Almost everyone has experienced snoring at least shortly. One should only be concerned if in the morning you wake up tired, sleepy or too irritable. It is a sign that you might be snoring. Constant loud snoring is associated with sleep apnea, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cause drowsiness. It can negatively impact your performance. Furthermore, it also burdens other your family.
Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder described as recurring stops in breathing.
Treatment of snoring using oral appliances
There are oral appliances designed to keep airways open. They can reduce snoring by three mechanisms. Some push the jaw forward, others lift the soft palate, others still keep the tongue from sliding back and blocking the airway.
The type of the appliance is decided by the dentist according to these criteria:
- reliability (efficiency) – the patient has to feel a noticeable effect;
- compactness – the appliance has to touch the lips, tongue, cheeks and mucosa as little as possible;
- comfortable position of lips and tongue – lips can be closed, tongue movements not restricted;
- adjustability – to open up the airways as much as possible;
- effect on sleep quality – does not induce mouth-breathing, has a minimal effect on sleeping habits;
- treatment time – the appliance is made in 30 minutes.
Mouthguards for snoring open the airways by pushing the jaw forward. Clinical studies have shown that by pushing the jaw forward snoring is reduced by 90% and sleep apnea index two times.
