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Do you snore or have trouble sleeping and oral appliances haven’t worked? Jaw surgery can be a solution.
If you struggle with a sleeping disorder, chronic snoring, or have been diagnosed by your pulmonologist with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you have likely tried just about everything available to get a better night’s rest. From mouth guards to CPAP machines and even losing weight, it’s a constant battle to ensure that your body takes in enough oxygen as you sleep. But there may be something you haven’t considered: your jaw.
Seeing an Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon for Sleep Apnea
Dr. Schmid and Dr. Kim are experienced jaw surgeons who will be able to work with you and your medical doctor to determine if jaw surgery is necessary to correct your sleep apnea. If it is, then orthognathic jaw surgery can adjust the size and positioning of your mandible (jaw) in a way that brings it forward. Such changes thereby loosen the soft tissues at the back of the mouth, opening the airway even larger.
As a result, your jaw surgery can help you sleep better and more deeply, since your body will be able to take in more oxygen. Depending on the overall results, the surgeon may be your key to giving up noisy, cumbersome CPAP equipment for good. Other individuals may find that it’s easier to sleep with their current oral appliances after having jaw surgery, with the procedure significantly improving their quality of life.
A Life Changing Experience
Being sleep deprived isn’t just exhausting; it can predispose you to medical emergencies or even be life threatening. The strain to your body can increase your risk of heart attack and other health issues. Simply put: your body wears out faster when you don’t get the sleep that it needs.
Dr. Schmid or Dr. Kim can discuss your sleep apnea, snoring, or sleeping disorders to see if jaw surgery can help. We’ll give you all of the information you need to make a smart decision about your future!
So you decided to have surgery, what’s next? The next blog will be helpful.
