A partner's disturbance at night is not only annoying, but also sleep-depriving for the affected person. Normal snoring is similar to the rustling of leaves, loud snoring reaches up to 70 decibels - which corresponds to the volume of a lawnmower. Middle-aged people are particularly affected by snoring.
But how exactly does snoring, also known as rhonchopathy, come about?
During sleep, all the muscles in the human body relax.
This also includes the tongue, which sinks backwards when relaxed and can block the palate arch in the throat area. When the outflowing air hits the resulting obstacle, it has to pass through the area under increased pressure - which causes the soft soft palate to vibrate strongly and thus creates the typical snoring sound.
Not only the relaxed tongue muscle can cause snoring, but also the uvula and the arch of the palate, which sink deeper during sleep and narrow the airways. Men are more often affected by snoring than women, which is due to the anatomical differences between the two sexes.
Women are under the influence of the female hormone estrogen, which gives their neck and throat muscles increased tension and stability. Men, on the other hand, have a narrower neck and softer throat muscles, which make them much more susceptible to snoring.
Snoring not only occurs in the mouth, but can also be caused in the nose. If the air cannot pass straight through due to swollen mucous membranes or other impairments, disturbing noises arise.
Why some people are affected by snoring and some can sleep through the night without making any noise depends on various exogenous and endogenous factors.
In many cases, the sleeping position plays an important role.
If you lie on your back while sleeping, you run the risk of gravity causing the tongue muscles to sink into the back of the throat.
Furthermore, the use of sleeping pills and alcohol can cause excessive snoring: the substances they contain cause the entire musculature to relax excessively.
Smoking is also a factor that should not be neglected. Cigarettes irritate the sensitive mucous membranes in the mouth and throat and can lead to swelling, which becomes noticeable at night through loud noises.
Anatomical factors, such as enlarged tonsils, nasal polyps, a deviated nasal septum or malocclusion, can contribute to snoring. Being overweight also leads to an increase in fatty tissue in the throat, resulting in a narrowing of the airway. Women experience increased snoring during pregnancy, which is due to weight gain. Furthermore, people who suffer from hay fever or a house dust allergy often struggle with these annoying sleeping noises due to swollen nasal mucous membranes. Have you got into the habit of breathing through your mouth? Mouth breathing not only leads to reduced oxygen intake and the build-up of bacteria in the mouth, but also to increased snoring.
Is your snoring caused by your mouth, for example due to a swollen nose or too relaxed mouth and throat muscles? A snoring guard, which is similar to braces, can provide quick and effective relief. It creates appropriate tension in the lower jaw, fixes the tongue and keeps the airways clear throughout the night.
Snoring is annoying, but mostly harmless.
In rare cases, sleep apnoea may occur, which, if left untreated, can be dangerous for the person affected. The relaxed muscles of the tongue and throat constrict the airway so severely that air can no longer flow through properly, which can lead to pauses in breathing. However, thanks to modern medicine, sleep apnoea can be successfully treated in a number of ways.
Snoring can have various causes. Obstructed nasal breathing, adenoids, maxillary sinusitis, swollen tonsils, etc. can be responsible. Ultimately, any reasons that obstruct the flow of air through the airways during the night can trigger snoring. Correspondingly, excess weight or natural physiognomy. An interdisciplinary clarification of the cause of snoring with various specialists is usually required in order to determine the actual cause.
In order for the body to receive enough oxygen while sleeping, the airways must be kept clear. Blocked nasal breathing is often the reason why people breathe in through the mouth.
You should therefore consume few liquids shortly before going to bed, as this causes the tissues to swell and constricts the throat. Alcohol in particular is inadvisable as it counteracts muscle tension and causes internal tissues to slacken. The consumption of cigarettes and other tobacco products also irritates the mucous membranes, causing them to swell. In addition, non-functional methaemoglobin can form, which restricts oxygen transport.
If, for example, you are allergic to tree pollen, which tends to be in the air mainly at night, you should definitely close your window and, if necessary, take anti-allergy medication.
Even large meals before bedtime, which fill your stomach and intestines excessively, can trigger a slight displacement of the diaphragm. This causes your lungs to shift upwards slightly, thereby hindering the use of the upper airways. For these reasons, it is also advisable to manage your weight and to be aware of the positive effects – such as a reduction in sleep apnoea – that can result from even modest weight loss.
Your sleeping position is also crucial. Lying on your back and high pillows are suboptimal because they create unfavorable tongue positions and block your airways. A sleeping place in the head area that is tilted slightly upwards stops the redistribution of the body's own fluids towards the head, which can also cause the soft tissues of the neck to swell when the body otherwise lies flat.
When the lower jaw slides back in a relaxed position during sleep, the tongue falls back and the airflow between the palate or soft palate and tongue is reduced. When the mouth is opened, the uvula and soft palate vibrate more strongly due to the somewhat constricted airflow. The affected person often does not notice the snoring themselves, but suffers from xerostomia (dry mouth), hoarseness and a sore throat. Sleep disorders caused by a lack of oxygen (sleep apnoea) can also lead to considerable health problems for the snorer. Anyone who suffers from a mild form of sleep apnoea can be helped with a bite splint, also known as a snoring splint. Snoring splints are available as two-part biblock or one-part monoblock splints.
The name "protrusion splint" is derived from the Latin protrusio "to push forward", as this splint is connected to each other by a joint and thus slightly pushes the lower jaw forward and counteracts hypoapnoea (reduction in airflow due to narrowing of the airways). This forward displacement of the lower jaw through the mouthpiece (snoring splint) optimises mouth breathing and thus prevents snoring during sleep while providing optimum comfort and no side effects.
First, the dentist has two plastic splints (the later snoring splints) made using an impression of the upper and lower jaw rail are connected by a small metal joint. This construction then gently shifts the lower jaw forward while sleeping.
By connecting the joint, the distance and position of the jaws relative to each other in the mouth can be individually adjusted. The splint therefore keeps the lower jaw in an optimal position. The resulting change in position caused by the snoring guard means that the tongue can no longer fall backwards, which usually causes the typically unpleasant noises when sleeping.
This keeps the throat wide open and allows more air into the lungs, which saturates the blood with sufficient oxygen. This mode of operation is based on the logic of removable braces, but they are only worn at night. CMD diagnostics is a valuable therapeutic aid when making a snoring splint and fighting sleep disorders caused by snoring. It enables a three-dimensional visualisation of the positional relationships in the mouth and jaw.
Scientific studies show that the snoring splint reduces snoring in over 90 % of dental patients and can reduce sleep apnoea many times over. In America, many dental patients have been wearing these snoring splints for around 15 years. Here in Switzerland, these snoring splints have only been used by dentists for a few years. Apnoea phases occur more frequently in the early hours of the morning. It is therefore important to wear the snoring splint throughout the night.
The snoring splint favoured in our practice is the so-called protrusion splint.
This snoring splint is one of the most commonly used snoring therapy devices. It consists of two plastic rails and are connected to an adjustable centering device via a hook on an adjustment unit (joint). Before making this snoring splint, the dentist determines the corresponding direction of advance of the lower jaw and can use this construction process to produce an individual snoring splint for the patient that fits well.
The cost of a mouthpiece depends on the material and size. According to the internet, cheaper standard models are available from as little as CHF 40 to 50. Slightly customised, thermoplastically mouldable mouthpieces are available for around CHF 150 in pharmacies or online. If you opt for a professional anti-snoring mouthpiece, which involves having a dental impression taken by your dentist followed by the fabrication of your customised mouthpiece in a dental laboratory, you should expect to pay around CHF 800 to 1,300. In some circumstances, compulsory health insurance may contribute towards the costs, provided its conditions are met.
The SILENSOR-SL® SNORBAN® TAP® anti-snoring splints pull the lower jaw forward and thus tense the throat muscles, thereby keeping the airways clear while sleeping. In this way, snoring is prevented and you can finally sleep deeply again and wake up properly rested. The anti-snoring splint from Snorflex® is intended to help snorers breathe more freely while sleeping. The splint from Somnofit is simpler and is offered online in a comparison of various price portals from CHF 70.
How long the splint can be used depends on various factors. These include the strength of the stress, e.g. B. by grinding your teeth. However, a snoring brace can be worn for several years. The splints are often changed when they have become unsightly due to long use or new adjustments have become necessary due to new dental bridges or dental crowns. The costs of the rails are currently not covered by health insurance companies, so you have to pay for the snoring guard privately. Only in individual cases will statutory health insurance cover the costs of a snoring brace for the patient in the event of sleep apnea.
