Is Surgery an Option for Treating Sleep Apnea?
If you are tired of being hooked up to a CPAP machine night after night, just so you can sleep well, it may be time to consider surgery. At PRECiDENT, we want to help you cure sleep apnea for good. And while CPAP machines can help you manage your sleep apnea symptoms, they don’t provide a cure. That’s why we want to encourage you to consider MMA surgery as a solution for your sleep apnea.
How does Surgery for Sleep Apnea work?
MMA surgery is a type of jaw surgery that opens your airway by moving your jaw forward. Underdeveloped jaws are often the underlying cause of sleep apnea. If your jaws did not grow properly when you were a child, your airway will be smaller. A small airway often leads to sleep apnea. In these cases, the only way to cure your sleep apnea is with surgery. By moving the jaw forward, we open up your airway, making it easier for you to breathe at night.
Find Freedom from Your CPAP Machine.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea, you probably spend most of your nights hooked up to a CPAP machine. Or at least you try to. The truth is you don’t always use it like you know you should. You know sleep apnea is serious. You know the CPAP can help you get the sleep you need. But the mask is uncomfortable. The machine gives you a headache. You wake up in the morning with a dry mouth. To be honest, you’re just tired of it.
Many people who have sleep apnea have a hard time using the CPAP long term. In fact, studies show that 50% of patients don’t use their CPAP long term. As helpful as the CPAP can be for many patients, it doesn’t always take care of the underlying cause of sleep apnea.
At PRECiDENT, we believe in treating your sleep apnea at its root. That’s why we encourage our sleep apnea patients to consider MMA surgery. MMA surgery gets to the underlying cause of your sleep apnea. For many patients, this is the only way to experience total relief from sleep apnea and break free from the CPAP machine.
What to Expect from Surgery for Sleep Apnea.
To make sure you are a candidate for MMA surgery you will meet with our team of sleep apnea specialists. Our team will look at your medical and sleep history. Sleep studies will be thoroughly evaluated as well. We will also perform a physical examination.
If you decide that MMA surgery is right for you, we will go ahead and do a CT scan, get x-rays, and dental impressions. Then, we will set up a date for your surgery.
The surgery itself will take several hours. You will spend the first night after surgery in the ICU so we can monitor your sleep. Once we are sure your sleep has improved, you will move to a regular hospital room for 3-5 days.
Because your jaw will be held shut with rubber bands, your diet will be limited for several weeks. Most patients are able to eat a soft diet (consisting of foods such as eggs, rice, and mashed potatoes).
Your surgical team will provide you with instructions on how to prepare for your surgery and how to heal well after your surgery.
What Are the Side Effects of MMA Surgery?
When undergoing any type of surgery there will be side effects. The most common side effects of MMA surgery include:
- Bleeding
- Swelling of the lower face
- Mild pain
You will also experience some numbness in your chin and lips. This numbness is the result of nerves being stretched during surgery. For most patients feeling in your chin and lips will be restored over the course of a couple of months.
Many patients are also worried about how their bite will change as a result of surgery. Our goal when performing MMA surgery is to maintain your natural bite. Any changes will be minimal and you won’t notice any difference.
It’s Time to Get the Sleep You Deserve.
Are you tired of feeling tired? Is sleep apnea taking a toll on your life?
We know how hard dealing with sleep apnea can be. You want to get better sleep, but you’re tired of having to hook up to a CPAP machine night after night.
And we want to help you.
At PRECiDENT, we believe you deserve more than just sleep apnea management. You deserve to sleep better.
If you are ready to get better sleep, we are here for you.