As age progresses, the snoring becomes more frequent. The cause: during sleep the lower jaw slides back and with it the tongue, which is firmly attached to the lower jaw, and this narrows the airways. The consequences: The soft palate and palate cones flutter loudly in the airflow, which is tightened by the constriction, the oxygen supply is reduced - you snore.
Snoring alone is not a health risk, but is "merely" a larvae burdening of the bed neighbor.
But sometimes it comes to breathing pauses, then one speaks of an obstructive sleep apnea. This can cause a lack of oxygen, which can often lead to daytime sleepiness and concentration problems, and even to the dangerous microsleep. If sleep apnea persists for a long time, heart and circulatory diseases also develop.
If sleep apnea is suspected, an initial examination is carried out by a lung specialist, often with a home recording of the sleep phases. If the suspicion is confirmed, the patient is examined in a sleep laboratory (www.dgsm.de).
If the cause of snoring is found to be a backward position of the lower jaw with the tongue and the base of the tongue sinking back, we can make a customized snoring splint in our practice. These consist of two transparent plastic splints in the upper and lower jaw, which are connected to each other. The lower jaw is thus held forward and also pulls the tongue forward so that it no longer slips into the throat area.
Impressions are taken of the upper and lower jaws and the snoring splint is then individually manufactured in our laboratory.
In a further session, the snoring splint is again precisely adjusted for the patient. Further control sessions are recommended and useful.
To ensure an optimal and effective treatment, a consultative preliminary discussion and a comprehensive diagnostic survey are a prerequisite.
A suitable and individualized course of treatment can only be determined after a precise diagnosis has been made and your individual wishes have been expressed. The necessary means of treatment and their costs will be arranged specifically for you.