Did you know the size and shape of soft tissues in the throat and mouth could lead to chronic snoring and even sleep apnea? To provide relief without the need for surgery, we could use a dental laser system. In today’s blog, your Encinitas/San Diego, CA, periodontist talks about treating snoring with your NightLase system.

The Link Between Snoring and Sleep Apnea

For some people, as they rest at night the soft tissues in the back of the mouth and in the throat become too relaxed and subsequently collapse. When this collapse happens, airflow is cut off and the person stops breathing briefly, until the brain wakes them. While they may not remember each of these episodes happening, this interrupts REM sleep so they end up feeling exhausted during the day. Known as sleep apnea, this can cause daytime drowsiness, irritability, trouble concentrating, and issues with short-term memory. Over time, this disorder can stain the heart health and even the immune system.

A common symptom is chronic snoring, which can also prevent your significant other from resting easily. But we can offer treatment, and without the need for oral surgery or an oral appliance. Instead, we can prevent sleep apnea episodes with the use of advanced laser dentistry, employing the Fotona NightLase system.

The NightLase System

With the NightLase system we will start by carefully examining your smile with digital imaging technology, so we can find the areas of your soft tissues that need adjustment. We can then use the laser system to adjust and reshape areas of the soft palate with precision and accuracy, so you can breathe at night without interruption from the collapse of soft tissues.

The lasers rarely require anesthesia and are comfortable, and their precision means no changes to healthy tissues either. The treated area heals fast, and you can usually return to your normal routine after a day or two of rest. The results will be immediate, and the lack of scalpels and sutures means not only a faster healing period as we mentioned, but the risk of swelling, infection, and bleeding is much, much lower too. In addition to helping you sleep, we can use laser dentistry to treat and manage disease, and also take on issues with your facial appearance, hiding fine lines and wrinkles by increasing collagen production.

If you have any questions about how we stop chronic snoring with the NightLase system, then contact our team today to learn more.

Providing Relief From Chronic Snoring

We want to help ease your sleep issues with the use of advanced Fotona dental laser systems. When you are ready to schedule an appointment, call Dr. Ann Kania in San Diego, CA, at 760-642-0711.