NightLase Snoring Treatment
NightLase® Laser Snoring Treatment - Pleasant Hill, CA
Snoring may have many impacts on your life. Many individuals experience tiredness, morning headaches, irritability, dry mouth, and relationship difficulties. In many instances, sleep deprivation occurs creating negative impacts on health and quality of life. In recent years, studies have shown a link between snoring and an increase risk of heart attack and strokes.
What causes Snoring?
Snoring occurs when air is not able to ore freely through the nasal cavity (nose and mouth) during sleep. This is due to the the narrowing of the airways causing the tissue to vibrate and make audible sound. In extreme cases the airways can become blocked this is called obstructive sleep apnea. There are various contributors in regards to snoring including age, nasal and sinus problems, begin overweight, alcohol consumption, smoking, medications, and sleep posture.
What is NightLase®
NightLase therapy is a non-invasive, painless, patient-friendly laser treatment for enhancing the quality of a patient’s sleep. Designed to decrease the amplitude (volume) of snoring, NighLase uses a gentle, laser-induced tightening effect caused by the contraction of the soft tissue in the back of the mouth, opening the airways helping provide a more restful sleep. The benefits of the NightLase Therapy includes but are not limited to reduced snoring, improved sleep quality, reduced fatigue, weight loss, a happier sleep partner, and related social activity by feeling more refreshed and alert during the day.
NightLase Therapy is a non-cutting laser procedure treating the soft palate and surrounding areas. It is provided over several appointments to tighten the soft tissues of the oral cavity to assist in opening the airways and reduce snoring. Some of the conditions that cause snoring and a constricted airway are high blood pressure, being overweight, hormone imbalances, stroke, alcohol use, and coronary artery disease to name a few. NightLase is a procedure that does not require the use of an anesthetic and is designed to assist in reducing snoring.
How does NightLase® Treatment work?
During treatment, a laser light is used to heat the tissue that is responsible for the sound of snoring while also lessening the effects of sleep apnea.
The procedure is done in 2 simple steps:
Step 1: Preconditioning
The laser light preheats the tissue.
Step 2: Tissue Strengthening
The laser light strengthens the tissue.
Treatment of Snoring using a non-invasive .pdf
After the diagnosis and obtaining the appropriate pretreatment information, the initial treatment phase consists of 3 appointments approximately 30 minutes in length. However, in some situations additional treatments may be desired. Additionally, after a year or so, additional touch-up retreatments may be desired and can often be done at the same visit as your dental hygiene appointment.
Due to the non-invasive nature to the NightLase procedure there are basically no risks. However, your sleep partner may not perceive improvements in your symptoms. Some patients have reported they have a dry sensation similar to a mild throat irritation for the remainder of the day and are gone the following day. Most patients report that there is a noticeable improvement after their first treatment and improvement with each of the subsequent treatments.
As a large percentage of individuals who snore may have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) which is a very serious condition, our office strongly recommends consulting with your physician for an appropriate referral for a comprehensive sleep study. If you have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), NightLase Therapy is an adjunctive therapy that may provide an additional benefit to patients with OSA.
NightLase is not a replacement for a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) device but rather an additional therapy that opens the airways and assists in increasing the value of any other therapies that have been prescribed.
Alternative procedures for snoring reduction include behavior modification, weight loss, surgical procedures, CPAP devices, and/or oral appliances, as well as other procedures. Nightlase is strictly a therapy to help maintain a more open airway during sleep and daytime hours and to reduce snoring. It does not completely eliminate snoring or treat sleep apnea.