Snoring and OSA

WHY DO WE SNORE?
     Sometimes when we sleep, the muscles that hold the airway open relax and partially collapse, obstructing the flow of air slightly. Air passing through the partially collapsed airway can cause a vibrating sound known as snoring.

WHO SUFFERS FROM SNORING?
     Approximately 44% of men and 28% of women between the ages of 30-60 suffer from habitual snoring. It has also been shown that people with excess body weight, a long soft palate, an enlarged uvula and large tonsils may be more prone to snoring than others. Furthermore, 30% of all snoring patients have OSA(Obstructive Sleep Apnea)

WHAT IS OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA?
     Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious condition in which the sufferer stops breathing during sleep due to a completely blocked airway, sometimes for up to a minute at a time. OSA is an extremely serious condition that can result in extremely fragmented and of poor quality sleep, and should be treated by a qualified physician.
     - The sufferer falls asleep.
     - Muscle tone in the body relaxes.
     - The airway narrows and/or collapses, causing breathing to be difficult or impossible. The collapse of the airway may cause loud snoring, snorts, pauses in airflow, and labored breathing.
     - Oxygen levels begin to fall.
     - They continue to struggle for breath, sometimes for up to a minute.
     - The heart rate falls below normal, and there is decreased oxygenated blood to pump through the body.
     - The brain senses low oxygen/high carbon dioxide levels and releases jolt of adrenaline in an attempt to awaken their brain and body and prevent suffocation.
     - The sufferer awakens briefly and takes five or six large breaths breathing in oxygen and blowing off excess carbon dioxide (CO2). The sufferer typically does not remember arousal but often repositions him or herself on the bed.
     - The heart rate speeds up in response to the rush of adrenaline and is now pumping above normal heart rate.
     - The oxygen/carbon dioxide levels return to near normal and their brain allows sleeping to resume.
     - The sufferer falls asleep and the cycle repeats. 

WHAT IS THE MANDIBULAR ADVANCEMENT SPLINT (MAS).
     Mandibular Advancement Splint is an oral appliance, which fits over the upper and lower teeth, much like a sports mouthguard. Unlike a sports mouthguard, however, it is a precision-made, clinically-tested medical device, which is highly effective (in most cases) in preventing snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
     MAS positions your lower jaw slightly forward of its natural position, which has the effect of tightening the soft flesh (or ‘tissue’) at the back of your throat, which prevents it from collapsing. When the airway narrows or partially collapses snoring results, which is the sound of tissues vibrating. Where there is complete collapse, you have an incidence of sleep apnea, which is when breathing stops altogether.
     - Successfully treats snoring and 80% of mild to moderate OSA patients and increase up to 96% when using Dentinore MAS*
     - Successfully treats snoring and 61% of severe OSA patients.
     - Covert compliance monitoring shows that Klearway? is worn on average 6.8 hours per night.

GETTING STARTED : SNORING AND OSA
STEP 1
Find a sleep medicine dentist.
STEP 2
Get treatment / Sleep Apnea device
STEP 3
Attend follow-ups as dentist prescribed.
STEPS TO MAS
When you are confident that you have OSA, then you are ready to have MAS with only 3 easy steps.
     - Consulting with a dentist
     - Having mouth impression and delivering to LAB
     - Receiving your custom-made devices
 
The whole 3-step process will take around 1 month. After that, you can tell your sleep partner to enjoy a silent night and you will wake up with freshness that you have missed for a long time.