Airway Issues

Snoring, while very common is not normal. It is a sign or symptom of an airway obstruction. Snoring should be addressed and not ignored. Luckily, there are ways to address the cause of snoring to significantly reduce or eliminate snoring.

Dr. Kerbs works closely with a sleep physician group on diagnosis , determining treatment to help patients with their airway. These treatments include the following:

Nightlase - Non-surgical laser treatment

Nightlase is a laser treatment done with an Erbium-Yag Laser. There is no numbing needed, there is no down time, there is no pain involved. Dr. Kerbs “paints” the area in the back of the mouth with the advanced laser and this tightens up the tissue in the back of the mouth/throat. The tightening of the tissue prevents the tissue from vibrating which significantly reduces/ eliminates the snoring sound that occurs at night. The Nightlase procedure takes about 30 minutes and depending on the exam, Dr. Kerbs will recommend 3-6 sessions. Patients typically start seeing results after one treatment.

DNA appliance therapy - Non-Surgical Airway Remodeling

The DNA appliance system is FDA registered and offers a painless solution for many problems including snoring. The upper and lower jaw placement determine the dimension of the upper and lower airway. The DNA appliance system remodels adult bone painlessly. The appliance system is removable and is only worn in the evening and at night. The DNA appliance works by lightly stimulating the bone and sutures within the bone which stimulates dormant stem cells to begin to grow bone and change the shape of the bone. Expanding the upper and lower arch and helping it grow forward remodels the airway and lifts the tissues off of the airway which significantly reduces snoring. This therapy assists you in restoring an airway that is collapsing on itself.

MRNA appliance therapy - Non-Surgical Airway Treatment - Airway Remodeling

The MRNA appliance system is an airway treatment that remodels the airway while supporting the lower jaw forward to treat the airway the moment the appliance enters the mouth. Bringing the lower jaw forward lifts the tissue off of the airway to keep the airway open during sleep. At the same time that the lower jaw is supported the upper jaw is being stimulated to change shape and grow to remodel the airway.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy - Retrain the muscles of the head and neck

When looking at the mouth and oral structures of someone who snores, it is very common to find a patient who has an open mouth posture, mouth breathing, low tongue posture, worn down teeth, forward head posture, and medical complications such as high blood pressure, acid reflux, and type II diabetes or pre-diabetes. One or all of these symptoms point to a orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD). The tongue should rest passively suctioned to the roof of the mouth during the day and night, the lips should naturally seal day and night, nasal breathing should occur at all times. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy focuses on retraining the muscles of the head and neck to function correctly at rest and during chewing and swallowing. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a successful treatment to reduce snoring.