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Snoring
Why do we Snore?
The throat is a tube. If it is wide open the air traveling through makes is no sound. But if you narrow the space, the air makes noise, like a flute, though not as pleasing to listen to. Our throats can become narrow over time due to relaxed elasticity of the soft palate with age or weight gain, enlarged tonsils or all of the above.
What is laser treatment to reduce snoring?
Laser treatment for snoring is called fractional ablative therapy. This is done to shrink the soft palate, tonsils, and tongue to widen the throat in the space behind the tongue. Widening the space for air to pass through reduces or eliminates snoring. This treatment can be done as part of an overall airway treatment or as a stand-alone treatment for people who can’t afford or do not wish to pursue a larger airway treatment plan.
How does it work?
The strong focused laser beam normally used for cutting soft tissue is fractionated into smaller beams that are spread over a large area. These less intense beams make very tiny wounds in the surface of the treated tissue. These are so tiny that it does not hurt. But they are enough to cause wound healing and regeneration of new collagen which tightens the affected tissue. Because it is a laser, there is no bleeding or risk of infection.
How soon will I experience results and how long do they last?
People experience reduced or resolved snoring between one and 5 days. The wound healing stimulates collagen regeneration which peaks at about one month. We recommend a second treatment at 3-4 weeks to build on that increase in collagen production. Over time, the symptoms may return. But you can do a one-time touch-up treatment once a year.
Is it a one-time treatment?
We recommend two treatments about a month apart. Then one touch-up treatment once a year. We also recommend nose breathing rather than mouth breathing. Mouth breathing causes air to flow over the tongue which stretches and irritates the structures like soft palate and tonsils. Talk with your dentist about adding nose breathing to your treatment plan in addition to the one-year touch-up treatments.
Does it hurt?
Most people don’t feel anything at all. If you do feel something, it has been described as similar to drinking a carbonated drink that pops and fizzes against your soft palate. Later you may feel like you have a scratchy throat for a day.
How long does a treatment take and will I experience any down time?
A treatment takes about 5-10 minutes. We take before and after pictures. There is no need for anesthesia so no shots or topical gel. It doesn’t hurt and there is no down time. The worst case is that you may feel a bit of a scratchy throat for a day. No bleeding. No risk of infection.
Does insurance cover laser snoring treatment?
Sorry, insurance companies consider snoring therapy an elective procedure.
Does this laser treatment cure sleep apnea?
No, this treatment is strictly for shrinking the tissues at the back of the throat to reduce snoring by increasing the volume. Many patients say their sleep improves because of the increased volume, but that is not the purpose of this procedure and there is no guarantee that it will improve sleep. We do use this treatment as part of a larger treatment plan that widens the dental arches and upper airway to improve nasal breathing and promote improved sleep.