Types of sleep apnea
The many inconveniences caused by snoring or sleep apnea really affect your quality of life. Maybe you have tried, over time, different techniques, devices or even surgeries to escape this problem.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, you may have already taken the tests that determine the degree of severity that affects you and obtained a complete diagnosis. You may even have used the C.P.A.P.*, this machine that maintains air pressure in the breathing apparatus. Very effective, it is however not tolerated by all.
Snoring and sleep apnea
People around you tell you that you snore very loudly? Snoring occurs when the muscles that support the palate, tonsils and tongue relax and restrict the passage of air. The brain then feels a decrease in oxygen and causes the awakening (clients rarely remember this awakening). The next day, they feel tired and sleepy, and are unable to concentrate.
People with snoring are likely to experience such symptoms and inconveniences:
- Headache in the morning
- Loss of concentration
- Memory loss
- Irritability
- Fall asleep during the day
- High blood pressure
- Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
- Nervous breakdown
- Difficulty for the partner to sleep, forced to separate room (excessive snoring)
Treatments for mild apnea
- Oral appliance therapy
- C.P.A.P*. (continuous positive airway pressure): a device that injects air through a mask to maintain pressure preventing the tissues from collapsing and blocking breathing
- Palatal and lingual surgery
Treatments for severe apnea
- Different combinations of these three techniques: C.P.A.P., oral appliance and palatal and lingual surgery
- Orthognathic jaw surgery
Our Treatments: Oral Appliances
The oral appliance is a small acrylic brace that covers the upper and lower teeth and, in specific cases, the tongue. It allows the jaw and the base of the tongue to move forward, which leads to an opening of the airways. The orthosis is manufactured and adjusted according to your morphology in order to provide great comfort.
Very well tolerated by patients, these devices are effective in treating snoring and mild to moderate obstructive apnea. Several models are available, the dentist will select the most appropriate according to your needs.
CPVSP treatment: Spontaneous Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or C.P.A.P.
CSPPC therapy, or continuous positive airway pressure, is the most effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. This system includes an air propellant connected to a flexible plastic mask that covers the nose, and sometimes the mouth. Air is injected through the tube of the mask to reach the nose and throat, which has the effect of keeping the airways open during sleep. It is the air pressure generated by the device that prevents the soft tissues from collapsing and coming together.
Several studies have demonstrated the great effectiveness of this treatment in terms of improving the quality of sleep and, by extension, the patient’s quality of life.
However, the VSPPC requires some adaptation and, even if some people encounter difficulties at the beginning, perseverance generally helps to get used to the device.
Palatal and lingual surgery
L’uvulo-palato-pharyngoplastie (UPPP) est pratiquée depuis 1979 et demeure l’intervention chirurgicale la plus courante pour le traitement du ronflement. Se déroulant en milieu hospitalier, cette opération consiste à enlever la luette et environ le tiers du palais mou.
Les patients souffrants de ronflement et d’apnée légère sont plus spécifiquement visés par ce traitement. Les cliniques privées offrent une variation de cette technique en travaillant sous anesthésie locale à l’aide d’un laser.
Si le taux de réussite se chiffre entre 40 % et 60 % à court terme, il diminue à 25 % à long terme. Les risques associés à l’intervention sont les suivants : saignements, infections, reflux nasal, difficulté à avaler, paresthésie de la gorge et difficulté phonétique.
