SomnoGuard

What is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)?

Obstructive sleep apnea or OSA is the most common type of sleep apnea, which is a serious sleep disorder in which you stop and restart breathing repeatedly while you sleep.

With OSA, the muscles in the back of your throat relax when you’re sleeping. These muscles control the structures in the back of your mouth, including the roof of your mouth, tongue, and tonsils.

Without muscle support, the airway narrows or closes when you breathe in. That lowers oxygen levels in your blood and increases carbon dioxide. Your brain senses your impaired breathing, briefly waking you up, so your airway reopens.

The pattern of breathing impairment may occur as many as 30 times an hour while you sleep. However, because you only wake up for a brief time, you may not remember. But you may feel unrested when you wake up in the morning.

Snoring is one of the tell-tale signs of obstructive sleep apnea.

What is SomnoGuard® for sleep apnea and snoring?

SomnoGuard is a type of oral appliance therapy for OSA. Respacare is a full-service sleep medicine practice that offers many treatment options for sleep disorders, including SomnoGuard. 

The oral appliance is custom-fit to match your bite and sits comfortably in your mouth while you sleep. 

How does SomnoGuard work?

SomnoGuard works by keeping your airway open while you sleep. The oral appliance moves and holds your lower jaw, tongue, and the other structures in the back of your throat forward. 

Changing the position of your jaw and tongue prevents the relaxing and collapsing of your airway when you breathe in.

SomnoGuard is an effective treatment for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.

Am I a candidate for SomnoGuard? 

Your provider at Respacare determines if you're a candidate for SomnoGuard after a sleep study. 

In addition to diagnosing the type and severity of your sleep disorder, your provider also assesses your anatomy and symptoms during your sleep study. That helps them determine the best treatment to ease your symptoms and improve your sleep.

Your provider at Respacare may consider you a candidate for SomnoGuard if you have mild to moderate OSA. When using SomnoGuard for managing snoring or OSA, you must see your dentist for regular check-ups to maintain good oral health.

To see if SomnoGuard for OSA or snoring can help you, call Respacare or schedule an appointment online today.