Over 40 million Americans suffer from habitual snoring. Often, this can be caused by an anatomic variation in the upper airway. It may be a symptom of sleep apnea, a condition that can cause daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and loss of memory, personality changes and significant systemic pathology. Sleep apnea can be a potentially life-threatening disorder.
People who may benefit are those with severe snoring, chronic nasal obstruction, and the symptoms mentioned above. Treatment may be as simple as a weight reduction plan, an oral appliance, or include basic outpatient procedures done in the office under local anesthesia. For patients with severe sleep apnea, treatment may include orthognathic surgery to reposition the jaws.
Some or all of these symptoms may be present and refractory to past treatments with medication. Often, a sleep study can be obtained to establish the diagnosis of apnea or another sleeping disorder. We strongly encourage our patients to obtain this sleep study, if not already done. Oral Surgery Associates works closely with a local sleep lab and several pulmonologists to assist in total patient care.
Oral Surgery Associates is committed to providing you with the most current, safe, and efficacious technology possible. In December 1999, they became the first office in Maine to offer the Somnoplasty procedure for patients with nasal obstruction, habitual snoring, and sleep apnea.
The somnoplasty procedure for snoring and nasal obstruction creates finely controlled lesions using radiofrequency energy at precise locations underneath the mucosal layer of tissue in the upper airway. Protecting the mucosa minimizes tissue ulceration, swelling, bleeding and pain. These lesions are gradually resorbed by the body, creating a smaller, stiffer soft tissue area. This is done in the office under local anesthesia, and is virtually pain free. Patients typically require one treatment for nasal obstruction, and snoring patients require 2 to 3 treatments on average for treatment of the soft palate. The base of tongue can also now be treated with the somnoplasty technology over 3 treatment sessions, also in the office under local anesthesia. This technology is best used for patients with enlarged tongues and mild to moderate sleep apnea.
Although all patients may not be candidates for Somnoplasty, other viable options remain and can be discussed with your doctors.
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