Sleep
Apnea

How are OSA and Other Sleep/Airway Disorders Treated?

In order to treat your sleep and/or airway disorder, we must first understand the root of the cause.

If nasal obstruction plays a role, we want to find ways to improve your nasal breathing. If your jaws are impeding your airway or encroaching on your tongue space, we will seek ways to help get your tongue out of the back of your throat.

Orthodontically, our solutions to improve an airway problem include improving nasal breathing and creating space to get the tongue out of the back of the throat. We incorporate both dental and skeletal expansion into our treatment plans.

In our orthodontic offices in Seattle and Bellevue, we work closely with Sleep Medicine Physicians, ENTs, and Oral Surgeons. When indicated, we orthodontically prepare patients for orthognathic surgery to help provide a more permanent solution to their airway and sleep problems.

CPAP machines and oral appliances are useful and can help manage sleep apnea because they help move the tongue out of the pharyngeal airway space. In our practice, we look for ways to help our patients breathe better without needing an oral appliance or a CPAP machine.