Having trouble with snoring and disturbed sleep? You might be experiencing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a serious, but common condition that can affect breathing while you sleep. Smile and Glow Dental Clinic in Mogappair, Jawahar Nagar, Chennai can offer comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for patients who are suffering from sleep-related breathing disorders. What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea? OSA is a condition where the airway becomes obstructed while you are sleeping, reducing or fully interrupting airflow. Airway obstruction is typically caused by relaxed muscles at the back of the throat, a large tongue, or a lower jaw positioned backward. Airway obstruction can cause loud snoring, decreased oxygen delivery to the brain, and frequent interruptions of sleep. A significant symptom of OSA is chronic snoring. If left untreated, chronic snoring can lead to complications for the heart and brain, overall health and well-being. Common Causes of OSA: • Weight or obesity • Large neck circumference • Enlarged tonsils or long soft palate • Small or recessed lower jaw • Nasal blockage (deviated septum, allergies, etc.) • Poor tongue posture during sleep • Sleep bruxism and clenching Signs to Look for: • Loud snoring that happens every night • Headaches upon waking • Always tired or sleepy during the day • Dry mouth or sore throat from sleeping • Limited focus and poor memory • Grinding or clenching teeth (bruxism) • Neck and shoulder discomfort • Swelling in the legs (in more advanced cases of OSA) At Smile and Glow Dental Clinic - Mogappair and Jawahar Nagar - we see many patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) struggling with TMJ pain, snoring or tiredness even after sleeping for an entire night. A true sign of sleep-disordered breathing! Diagnosis at Smile and Glow in Mogappair and Jawahar Nagar: Our protocol for diagnosis is here is comprehensive that includes: • Case history + STOP-BANG • Intraoral and extraoral clinical examination • CBCT 3D volumetric scan for airway analysis • Sleep study - Home Sleep Test / Polysomnography • Radiology - OPG, TMJ views, Lateral Cephalogram, MRI • T-Scan for bite force distribution • Jaw tracking & MAT scan • TENS (Ultra-low frequency neural stimulation) for jaw muscle relaxation Why treating OSA is important: Leaving sleep apnoea untreated puts you at risk for some serious health problems which include: • High blood pressure • Heart disease • Diabetes • Stroke • Chronic fatigue • Increased likelihood of accidents due to sleepy. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Treatment Options in Chennai: Depending on the severity of your condition, our clinical team provides: Conservative Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) In the case of obstructive sleep apnea, simple lifestyle changes and non-invasive measures can significantly minimize obstructive sleep apnea severity. At Smile and Glow Dental Center - Jawahar Nagar, Mogappair, we recommend a number of conservative strategies: • Healthy weight – Losing excess body weight will reduce the fat deposits around the upper airway and allow for better airflow. • Avoidance of alcohol – Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat, which will worsen breathing interruptions while you sleep. • Limiting sedatives – Sedatives can minimize the body’s normal reflexes which can keep the airway open; therefore, increasing the chance of apnea episodes. • Change sleep position – Sleeping on your side with the support of a wedge pillow will keep the airway from collapsing, whereas sleeping on your back will worsen symptoms by allowing the airspace to collapse. • Nasal congestion treatment – Treatment for sinus or nasal blockage through nasal sprays before bedtime can improve breathing while sleeping at night. Oral Appliance Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea - Jawahar Nagar & Mogappair At Smile and Glow Dental Clinic, Jawahar Nagar and Mogappair, our clinic aims to be the cornerstone of Sleep Apnea Treatments. Oral appliances are effective for treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and for patients with severe OSA who cannot tolerate nasal CPAP. Custom made dental appliances will reposition the lower jaw forward providing more airway space and ensuring thicker pressing down of the tongue. Just as easily as one would wear a mouthguard, our oral appliances help keep your airway open during the night for a very easy approach to your sleep apnea plan. Orthodontic Expansion for OSA Braces to expand reduced upper and lower jaw, in particular with airway restriction in young adults. ✅ CPAP & EPAP Therapy Other positive airway pressure devices that maintain airborne pressure to ensure airflow throughout the night. Our team ensures these home based devices are calibrated precisely so patients can sleep with comfort and compliance. ✅ Surgical options: • Tonsillectomy or reshaping of the uvula • Jaw advancement surgeries • Nasal surgery to correct deviated septum At Smile and Glow Dental Clinic, Mogappair and Jawahar Nagar, Chennai, our cross functional approach includes a neuromuscular orthodontist (not a typical orthodontist), ENT, physiotherapist, breathing coach, psychologist as well as a pulmonologist… We can take a comprehensive and root-cause approach to sleep apnea!