Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which, in a cyclical manner, a person's breathing stops for a few seconds and then resumes several times during the night, affecting the flow of oxygen to the brain.

It is estimated that most adults with moderate and severe apnea are undiagnosed. In the United States alone, it is estimated that this problem affects between 4-24% of men and 2-9% of women, and it is assumed that at least 20% of middle-aged adults have mild apnea. Recent studies by the Spanish society of otorhinolaryngology estimate that there has been a 45% increase in this condition in the last ten years attributed to the increase in weight of the average population making this a public health problem.

Treatment:

In milder cases it is possible to make lifestyle changes which may include weight loss or smoking cessation to achieve significant improvement, however if the situation does not improve there are other treatment alternatives such as, for example:

• Use of a CPAP (these devices are machines that use air pressure through a mask that is placed while the patient sleeps).
• Mandibular advancement devices
• Orthognathic surgery

In this opportunity I would like to refer to the last 2 treatment alternatives since the orthodontic specialty plays a very important role in the application of these treatments.

Also known as appliances to eliminate snoring, mandibular advancement appliances are intended to position the patient's jaw in a more advanced position, which allows opening the patient's airway and improving the condition, provided that the patient has the appliance on while sleeping. In the vast majority of cases, patients' snoring decreases or disappears, which is why they are so popular for treating this condition. These appliances are relatively easy and quick to make and the patient may experience improvement soon after the first visit to the office.

According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, 90% of patients treated with orthognathic surgery are cured, making it the most effective procedure to treat this condition. We talked about this procedure in another article that we recommend you to read (What is orthognathic surgery?), but broadly speaking, orthognathic surgery is a routine surgery that we perform in our clinic that allows moving the bones of both the maxilla and mandible, in these patients, to a more advanced position permanently and definitively opening the airway. In most cases to perform the procedure it is necessary to place orthodontics first to stabilize the bite which will serve as a basis for the maxillofacial surgeon to position the bones in the new position.

In our clinic we strive to offer our patients the best treatment options that modern medicine has to offer, therefore, we perform these types of procedures on a fairly regular basis.

Do not hesitate to contact us, we are here to support you and solve your case!