Patient Education

Lamberg Sleep Well Device, Treatment for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder where the tongue and soft palate cover the back of the throat periodically during sleep, obstructing the upper airway. Breathing cannot continue, and eventually the patient’s blood oxygen level drops to the point where he awakens with a start to reopen the airway. After returning to sleep, more apneas may occur. Disturbed sleep and lack of oxygen make apnea sufferers more vulnerable to a host of other problems; heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, acid reflux and sexual dysfunction, to name a few.

There are several treatments available for apnea. The traditional way uses a Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) Mask. The mask is fitted onto the head before sleeping; a hose blows air down the patient’s throat to keep open the flow of oxygen during sleep, thus preventing apneas. While proven effective, a substantial number of its users abandon the CPAP mask due to embarrassment or discomfort. One alternative is a surgical procedure to the throat or mouth, to alter its shape and thus make apneas less frequent or impossible, but this is not always effective.

Oral appliances, however, are equally if not more effective in treating mild to medium cases of sleep apnea, and some are successful in treating severe sleep apnea. At D.C. Smiles, we recommend and install the Lamberg Sleep Well Device for the treatment of sleep apnea. The device holds the tongue and jaw forward to prevent blockage of the airway. It is the smallest appliance for treating snoring and apnea and almost all of its users continue with this method of treatment; it is the most comfortable such appliance available.

Lamberg Sleep Well Device website