Can Invisalign Help with Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder that affects millions of people across the United States. More than 18 million people are affected nationwide. It’s a serious condition that interrupts your sleep pattern, making you feel fatigued and possibly harming your health in the long run. Although most individuals connect sleep apnea with medical treatments such as CPAP machines, there’s another solution that could potentially assist — Invisalign. Let’s discuss how Invisalign can help treat sleep apnea and enhance the quality of your sleep.

What Is Sleep Apnea Exactly?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes your breathing to stop and start repeatedly while you sleep. There are several forms of sleep apnea, but they all stem from either a blockage in the airway (obstructive sleep apnea) or the brain not signaling to the muscles to breathe (central sleep apnea). The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax more than normal during sleep and block the airway. Some common characteristics of sleep apnea are loud snoring, gasping for air while sleeping, and waking tired despite a full night’s sleep.

The Causes of Sleep Apnea

There are many reasons for the development of sleep apnea, such as:

Obesity: Excess weight, particularly in the neck area, can put pressure on the airway and lead to the airway collapsing, thereby increasing the odds a person has sleep apnea.
Anatomy: Having certain anatomical features, like enlarged tonsils, or having a small jaw, for example, can also act as risk factors for airway collapse.
Age: Age itself is likely to be an independent risk factor, as there is a higher likelihood of sleep apnea with increased age.
Gender: Men are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than women, but the incidence of sleep apnea in women rises significantly after they have gone through menopause.
Lifestyle Factors: Certain lifestyle habits will have an effect on the likelihood of sleep apnea including smoking, alcohol consumption, and taking sedative medication, or any combination of the three may allow for the muscles in your throat to relax more.
Family History: Family history can serve as a risk factor of sleep apnea, if it runs in the family, the chances of developing the disorder are much higher.

The Effects of Untreated Sleep Apnea

When sleep apnea goes untreated, the consequences can be severe and long-lasting. Individuals with this condition are at a higher risk for the following complications:

Daytime Fatigue
High Blood Pressure
Heart Disease
Diabetes
Headaches
Depression
Memory and Cognitive Issues

How Invisalign Relates to Sleep Apnea

Invisalign is most often applied to straighten teeth, but it can also help treat some forms of sleep apnea—especially when dental problems are causing airway obstruction. The secret is that it can fix crooked bites, overlapping teeth, and misaligned jaws. These problems can constrict the airway, allowing the tongue to roll back during sleep and obstruct airflow, which exacerbates sleep apnea symptoms.

By slowly moving teeth into their proper positions, Invisalign expands the space between the mouth and airway, lessening the chances of an obstruction. It’s particularly beneficial when a narrowed bite or overbite hampers the freedom of the tongue. Inquire with your dentist whether Invisalign for overbites may be a feasible solution in your situation.

Invisalign aligners are individually crafted from smooth plastic, providing greater comfort—particularly at night—without the irritation of metal brackets or wires. Their almost invisible appearance makes them a popular option for adults who want discreet treatment. And, they’re removable, making it simple to eat, brush, and floss without disrupting sleep like cumbersome CPAP machines may.

With slight changes every one to two weeks, Invisalign provides an accurate, non-surgical way to not only enhance your smile but also, if dental structure is involved, improve your breathing and sleep.

Conclusion

Invisalign provides a non-surgical option for the control of sleep apnea, particularly in patients whose apnea is a result of jaw misalignment or minimal airway obstruction. Although it might not entirely supplant more conventional methods such as CPAP, it can be part of an overall care regime that is very beneficial to your sleeping patterns and overall well-being. If you believe you have sleep apnea or are having trouble with current symptoms, speak with a dental specialist to explore potential treatment options.