Snoring
Snoring is often dismissed as a typical breathing issue during sleep. But, it can sometimes be an indicator of a more serious sleep disorder: sleep apnea. While snoring itself may not cause health complications, it could potentially be a red flag for underlying breathing and airway problems. If you’ve been told you snore at night, contact our office at (480) 607-6937 for a comprehensive breathing and airway evaluation from Dr. Fattah and the Scottsdale Family Smiles team.
What Causes Snoring?
Technically speaking, snoring is the result of vibrations in the throat as airflow encounters obstacles during sleep. Several factors contribute to disruptive snoring sounds, including:
- Narrow Nasal Passages: If your nasal passages are abnormally narrow, they will inevitably restrict airflow and cause vibrations in the throat. Narrowing can also occur when you’re sick or if you have another structural issue such as polyps or a deviated septum.
- Lack of Muscle Tone: Weak muscles in the throat and tongue, typically due to aging or a more sedentary lifestyle, can increase the chances of airway obstruction during sleep. These muscles can also become too relaxed if you consume excessive amounts of alcohol or take a sleeping pill.
- Enlarged Airway Tissues: If your tonsils or adenoids become enlarged, or if you have obesity-related tissue enlargement, you are more likely to experience airway obstruction, which can trigger snoring and even obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Genetics: Genetic factors can also play a role in determining the structure and function of your airway. If you have a parent or close family member with breathing and airway problems, you are more likely to develop these conditions. If you can’t seem to stop snoring at night, check to see if a family member has sleep apnea or a breathing disorder — that can help point you in the right direction!
Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Treating Two Birds With One Stone
If you struggle with persistent snoring, then you may also have sleep apnea. The good news? You can treat both at the same time! Due to the close connection between sleep apnea and snoring, treating one helps alleviate symptoms of the other condition.
Dr. Fattah and the Scottsdale Family Smiles team specialize in treating breathing and airway disorders with holistic, non-invasive solutions. We provide:
- Oral Appliance Therapy: We design custom-fit oral appliances, often resembling sports mouthguards, to reposition the lower jaw and tongue during sleep. This helps prevent airway obstruction and reduces both snoring and mild to moderate symptoms of sleep apnea. These appliances also function as protective gear to stop you from grinding your teeth at night, which can help relieve tooth and jaw pain.
- Vivos Appliances: Vivos devices are a subset of oral appliances that utilize cutting-edge stem cell technology to expand the upper airway by promoting the natural growth of the jaw and facial bones. This non-invasive approach addresses the root causes of snoring and sleep apnea by enhancing the size and structure of the airway. Dr. Fattah is a certified Vivos expert and has spent years helping patients improve their sleep quality without uncomfortable machines or invasive surgery.
- DEKA QuietNite. This treatment uses CO2 laser energy to gently ablate palate tissue, prompting a rapid healing response that generates new collagen to tighten the soft palate to reduce snoring and shrink enlarged tonsils. The procedure is non-invasive and takes under ten minutes, with no bleeding, side effects, or downtime before returning to normal activities. Patients can see great results in as little as five days after treatment.
Both oral appliance therapy and Vivos devices offer reliable alternatives to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, providing more comfortable and convenient options for patients struggling with snoring and sleep apnea.
Start Sleeping Soundly
Ready to sleep through the night without waking up your partner? Schedule an appointment with Scottsdale Family Smiles today to discover non-invasive treatment options to achieve quiet, restful, and restorative sleep.
