Snoring

 

 

Snoring affects millions of people of all ages, both male and female. Dr. Weiss can fabricate a custom oral appliance to significantly reduce or eliminate snoring for most patients. Oral appliance therapy is the most common treatment for the most severe snoring problems.

What causes snoring?

Snoring is caused by the vibrations of your soft and/or hard tissue palates; these vibrations occur because of increasingly narrow air passages. When air passes through these passages, a "flapping" sound occurs because the tissue is soft in nature. Surgery (to alleviate the snoring) is not always successful, however, because the sound may not originate from the soft palate; the snoring sometimes originates from tissues in the upper airway.

Common causes for snoring:

  • Smoking
  • Alcohol
  • Health Problems
  • Obesity                                                                                                         
  • Obstructed Nasal Passages — Deviated Septum
  • Poor Muscle Tone of the Tongue
  • Daytime Fatigue
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Allergies

  Informed Consent Form for Primary Snoring

Sleep Apnea- Adults

Loud snorers may have a more serious case of blocked air passages, known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In these cases, the blockage of air is so great that no air can get through, causing repeated awakenings throughout the night. Obstructive sleep apnea can contribute or lead to many other conditions, such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and depression, so it is important to be diagnosed by a medical professional if you experience any sleep-related symptoms.

Dr. Weiss works with several Sleep Centers in the area. After a diagnosis of OSA, patients can be custom fitted with an oral appliance designed to treat mild to moderate OSA. Patients who cannot tolerate their CPAP device are also good candidates for an oral appliance. Some of our patients want an oral appliance for travel. All patients will be treated in coordination with their Sleep Physician.

Please click below to download, print and sign our informed consent form.

Questionnaire to screen for Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

           Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)

           Results of ESS

Sleep Disordered Breathing--Child/Adolescent

Children and Adolescents can also have disturbed breathing patterns that can negatively impact their health and well-being, including bed wetting and ADHD.  The following are considered red flags for your child to be impacted by sleep disordered breathing.  The more that your child has, the more likely they suffer from sleep disordered breathing and should be evaluated by a medical pediatric sleep specialist.
 
Red Flags for Sleep Disordered Breathing in Child/Adolescent

  • Mouth breathing instead of nasal breathing
  • Straining of the lips to close (mentalis strain)
  • Enlarged tonsils
  • Ankyloglossia (tongue-tie)
  • Excess dental wear (pitting of the primary molars)
  • Narrow palate (upper jaw)

Questionnaire  to screen for Child/Adolescent Sleep Disordered Breathing: 
      Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ)
      Results of PSQ


 



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