What causes the snoring sound?
‘Snoring’ is understood to be the loss of muscle tone during sleep, which results in a narrowing of the upper airways. This constriction accelerates the flow of air and causes the soft palate to flutter back and forth, which causes the snoring sound. If the airways close completely, this is called sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
If after heavy snoring a sudden pause for breath occurs – a so-called apnea – snoring can become potentially dangerous. Sleep apnea is caused by complete closure of the upper airways by the receding tongue and/or soft palate and uvula. This pathological symptom should be taken seriously and diagnosed by a doctor.
Since both sleep apnoea and classic snoring are often caused by a narrowing of the airways, a plastic snoring splint can be a remedy from a dental point of view.
Therapy with the snoring splint
The snoring splint consists of one splint each for the upper and lower jaw. The joint attached to the side of the splint prevents the lower jaw from sinking backwards during sleep and thus counteracts the narrowing of the airways. The speed of the breathing air decreases, prevents the soft palate from fluttering back and forth and the resulting annoying snoring noise. Jaw movements are still possible with the snoring splint, which makes it a comfortable and effective snoring protection. Clinical studies have shown that advancing the lower jaw significantly reduces snoring in over 80% of patients and can lower the apnea index by up to 50%.
