| Dr. Penfil employs an oral appliance which is based on the same principle as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR. The airway must be opened to allow air to pass through the throat. A constricted or collapsed airway causes snoring and /or sleep apnea.
The appliance holds the lower jaw in a forward position so that it does not fall open during the night and cause the airway to collapse. It maintains a clear airway to reduce snoring and improve breathing.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway completely collapses blocking airflow into the lungs. The harder one tries to breathe, the tighter the airway seals. The airway obstruction persists until the brain partially awakens the person. Unconsciously, he/she will close the jaw returning the tongue and throat to a normal position.
The sleep apnea cycle - falling asleep, jaw relaxing, airway collapsing, unconsciously awakening with a gasp, falling back asleep - can repeat itself 50 or more times per hour during the night. With a blocked air passage, one does not receive enough oxygen. Both the awakenings and oxygen deprivation can then trigger other health problems.
There is a new solution available to those who snore or have sleep apnea. It is an oral appliance similar to an athletic mouth guard that is worn while sleeping. Together with a high quality laboratory, Dr. Penfil constructs this device which reduces sleep apnea associated health risks without the need for surgery, medications, or other more cumbersome therapy.
|
