Anti Snoring Appliance

Snoring does not only disturb the sleep ...... Snoring can also cause health problems

Apart from the fact that snoring is often felt as being quite disturbing, especially in a relationship, it is not just a male problem: In fact 60% of all men and 40% of all women over 60 snores. It is a problem that increases with age.

Recent economic studies prove that snoring is a serious health hazard especially in older people. It has also been proved that snoring can reduce the life expectancy by a number of years.

Another risk factor is that the 'snorers' are often tired during the day: employees with monotonous jobs are more often involved in industrial accidents and drivers are 7 times more likely to be involved in car accidents.

The reasons why we snore

Snoring results from a vibration of the temporary relaxed muscles of the upper respiratory tracts. The soft parts of the palate and mucous membrane in the mouth and throat area tremble. The tongue muscles, which relax during sleep, fall backwards and close the throat area for seconds: breath standstill is the consequence.

Fat can lead to restrictions of respiratory tracts especially for patients suffering from being overweight and especially for young women and men.

The usual consequence is:

*       The air flow in increased

*       The vibration of the soft parts is increased

*       The noise of snoring is louder

The taking of special medication, sleeping pills included, and fat foods as well as alcohol at night will increase snoring and its loudness.

The IST-Appliance

In cases of harmless snoring your dentist can help you with an Anti-Snoring-Device called an Intraoral - Snoring - Therapy appliance or IST-Appliance:

The appliance, which fits to the individual upper and lower teeth, can be compared to a removable orthodontic appliance. It moves the lower jaw in a forward position as well as the tongue at the same time. By this, the throat is being opened and the breathing normalised and free. These devices are fabricated individually out of thin acrylic splints with guiding metal telescopes:   

Diagram showing throat airway - restriction the cause of snoring	Diagram showing IST- Appliance fitted and airways now open

IST - Appliance fitted to upper and lower teeth