What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where airflow and oxygenation is partially or completely blocked due to obstructions in the airway. This obstruction can be found at many sites in the airway. For example, the obstructions can be due to abnormally large tonsils, adenoids, tongue, narrowed nasal passages and/or the abnormal position of the upper and lower jaw bones. The position of the upper and lower jaw plays a critical role in the airway space and obstructive sleep apnea. If during development, your upper and/or lower jaw does not grow in the proper trajectory, your airway space may become limited and lead to obstructive sleep apnea.

One of the most effective treatments for obstructive sleep apnea is called maxillomandibular advancement. This is a surgery that surgically repositions the upper and lower jaw bones which dramatically increases your airway space. Studies have shown this surgery to have a 98% success rate for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Patients breathe better not only during the night but throughout the day due to the anatomical improvement in their airway.

Why Treat My Sleep Apnea?

Untreated obstructive sleep apnea has many serious health implications. OSA has been linked to development of high blood pressure, arrhythmias, temporomandibular disorder, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attack and Alzheimer’s disease. Deep sleep has been linked to decreasing your risk of development of Neurocognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s. Early diagnosis and treatment is crucial to decreasing your risk of developing serious systemic diseases.

Ju YE, Finn MB, Sutphen CL, Herries EM, Jerome GM, Ladenson JH, Crimmins DL, Fagan AM, Holtzman DM. Obstructive sleep apnea decreases central nervous system-derived proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid. Ann Neurol. 2016 Jul;80(1):154-9. doi: 10.1002/ana.24672. Epub 2016 Jun 1. PMID: 27129429; PMCID: PMC5120585.

Keith A. Wafford. Aberrant waste disposal in neurodegeneration: why improved sleep could be the solution. Cerebral Circulation-Cognition and Behavior, Volume 2. 2021 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666245021000222