Does your partner often complain that you snore? If you take a nap at a family gathering, do you find yourself the object of teasing because of your snoring? Yes, snoring is a nuisance — and in some cases, it indicates a bigger problem, such as a sleep disorder. What can you do to fight snoring and enjoy quieter, higher-quality rest? A treatment with the Solea laser might be right for you.
Tightening the Palate with Laser Treatment
There are a couple different types of snoring. The most common type, palatal snoring, affects about 80% of snorers. It occurs when the soft palate (the soft, muscular tissues on the roof of the mouth) over-relaxes during sleep. They it vibrates, causing the noise that is characteristic of snoring.
A Solea laser treatment can address this issue by gently heating the soft palate and causing the collagen (a structural protein) in it to tighten. That tightening action reduces vibrations and can help a patient to snore less. The treatment might even eliminate snoring altogether. This type of laser therapy only takes a few minutes, and its results can last for a year or longer.
Addressing Tongue Tie with Laser Treatment
Tongue tie is a condition wherein the piece of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth is too short or thick, restricting the tongue’s movement. This can contribute to mouth breathing. Mouth breathing plays a role in snoring because it allows irritants to damage the tissues in the throat, which can cause inflammation that interferes with the free flow of air. Many people with tongue tie-related snoring also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (pauses in breathing due to blockages in the upper airway).
A laser frenectomy is a procedure wherein a doctor cuts the tissue that is restricting the tongue’s movement. Afterward, the tongue is able to move freely. With some therapy to train the tongue to rest in its proper position, snoring and sleep apnea may be significantly reduced.
Could a Laser Address Your Snoring?
If you snore — especially if you snore loudly and frequently — you should arrange a sleep test. Once you know whether you have sleep apnea, you can begin to explore your treatment options. If your snoring is palatal and mild, a collagen-tightening laser treatment may be right for you. If tongue tie is contributing to the problem, you may need a frenectomy.
If your snoring or sleep apnea is related to other issues, laser treatment might not be right for you. Instead, you may benefit from a custom oral appliance that can gently shift your show forward while you sleep, allowing air to flow more freely.
Snoring is annoying — you and your family shouldn’t have to put up with it. A local snoring and sleep expert can help you find a solution. A simple laser treatment might be all you need!
Meet the Practice
Dr. Pamela West is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, and other prestigious organizations. She has decades of experience in her field. Along with her associate, Dr. Stephanie Gorczyca, she provides laser-based treatments to help patients fight snoring and sleep apnea. To learn more about our practice and how we may be able to serve you, contact us at 702-844-6226.