Everybody knows what a snore sounds like. Most of us have probably never thought much about what a snore actually is, the mechanics behind it.
As you drift off to sleep, all of your muscles naturally relax. That includes your tongue and the muscles in your throat. For some people, this causes the soft tissues around the top of the throat to get floppy. Air now has to squeeze through a narrower, partly obstructed airway, making the floppy, collapsed tissues vibrate.
That vibration is the sound of snoring.
While snoring might seem harmless – just a bit of noise – it can actually become quite disruptive to daily life. Regular snoring can affect the sleep quality of everyone in the household, leading to daytime fatigues, irritability, and a strain on relationships. The snorer often doesn’t sleep as deeply either since they’re working harder to breathe all night long.
In a worst case scenario, it can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition in which you repeatedly stop breathing during the night. (Use this quiz to check your OSA risk.)
It’s at that point when snoring proves disruptive that many folks start looking for a solution. You’ve probably seen – and maybe even tried – some of the typical options: nasal strips that pull the nostrils open, oral appliances that hold your tongue or jaw forward, or special pillows designed to keep you off your back. While these can be helpful for some, most require you to use them every single night.
That’s what makes newer approaches such as NightLase all the more interesting, as they work in a completely different way.
NightLase uses a specific type of laser energy to gently warm the tissues in your throat, stimulating collagen production. Collagen is the protein that gives structure and firmness to our tissues. The laser also has a direct effect in the deeper tissue layers, causing existing collagen fibers to contract and tighten up. It’s kind of like how a wool sweater shrinks if you wash it in warm water, only in a controlled and beneficial way.
Each session takes around 20 to 30 minutes, and most people find it quite comfortable. Many patients describe the gentle warming sensation in the mouth as pleasant. There’s no need for numbing or anesthesia . There’s no cutting or sutures. This procedure harnesses your innate healing abilities. You can get back to your normal day right after.
In most cases, just three sessions spread out over six weeks gives a person’s tissues time to respond and rebuild between treatments. Each session builds on the previous. Many tell us that they notice some improvement after the very first session and notice continuing improvement over the following weeks. The results generally last about a year before touch-up is needed.
Studies have shown the effectiveness of NightLase, as well. One notable study, for instance, found that “95.2% of patients recognized improvement of their snoring, with 57.1% evaluating it as significant or excellent.” Only two patients reported no improvement. A more recent randomized controlled trial likewise had results that “indicate that the effectiveness of NightLase is comparable with that of more invasive treatments.”
What’s more, the improvement isn’t just about noise reduction. People report feeling more rested – and having happier sleep partners, too.
NightLase tends to work best when the cause of snoring is the soft tissue issues we looked at earlier. Of course, everyone’s situation is unique, and what works wonderfully for one person may not be the best option for another. Where structural issues are causing the snoring or when sleep apnea is involved, alternate therapies may be more appropriate. It all depends on the individual.
NightLase is just one example of how lasers are changing dentistry in really interesting ways. Here at Sage Dental Wellness, we use them in a variety of procedures, all with the goal of making treatments more comfortable, effective, and predictable, all while supporting your body’s natural healing processes. They’re incredibly precise for soft tissue procedures, such as treating gum disease, reshaping gum tissue, or removing small lesions with minimal bleeding and faster recovery.
The precision and gentleness of lasers also means we can often go with more conservative treatments – removing less healthy tissue, preserving more of what’s working well, and creating conditions for better long-term results.
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At our Eugene practice, we take a comprehensive approach to oral health, considering not just the immediate concern but how it fits into your overall health picture. Because ultimately, that’s what holistic dentistry is about: recognizing that your oral health is connected to everything else, including getting the restorative sleep your body needs.