NightLase® Anti-Snoring Treatment
Sleep well with NightLase — a safe, effective, and painless treatment for snoring and sleep apnea.
Snoring
Snoring is a common problem affecting millions of Americans, which not only be annoying but also causes significant sleep deprivation for both the snorer and their partner. This can lead to daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of focus, and even a decrease in libido. Clearly, this can be a contributor to relationship difficulties.
Apart from the social implications of snoring, there can also be significant health impacts. Snoring directly increases the risk of having a stroke. This is thought to be due to snoring causing disrupted blood flow through the carotid artery, which supplies oxygen to the brain. There is also a correlation between loud snoring and the risk of a heart attack.
Dentists trained in the NightLase procedure are in a great position to help screen and in many cases treat these problems with airway management. Helping patients improve their sleep can profoundly improve their health, their quality of life, and the well-being of others.
Dr. Petrosky is pleased to offer NightLase, a groundbreaking technique and relatively new laser procedure for snoring and mild sleep apnea.
What Causes Snoring ?
Snoring is caused by breathing through a partially obstructed airway. The sound is due to a vibration of tissue, mainly the soft palate and uvula.
Causes of airway obstruction include:
- Aging leads to laxity of soft tissue in the oral cavity
- Increased fat around the throat due to being overweight
- Alcohol and other drugs relax muscles in the throat
- Dropping of the tongue when sleeping on one’s back
Snoring can sometimes be improved without any treatment by losing weight, avoiding excessive alcohol, and sleeping on one’s side. If these simple measures are unsuccessful, there are now effective laser treatments available for snoring.
How Has Snoring Been Treated?
Surgery:
This has the potential for significant side effects, including bleeding and infection.
Scarring and associated problems can occur.
Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD):
These dental devices or splints are placed in the mouth while sleeping.
These are uncomfortable to wear, can cause ulceration of the gums, or even lead to the repositioning of the teeth and an altered bite.
CPAP Machine :
This very effective ‘Gold Standard’ treatment for sleep apnea also stops snoring but is cumbersome to use.
Compliance with both MAD and CPAP treatment modalities shows a reduction over time and significant side effects. However, NightLase snoring reduction therapy protocol is a unique approach to treatment using the Fotona Lightwalker dental laser with a proprietary protocol and handpiece.
NightLase therapy is indicated for cases when the patient has been diagnosed with chronic snoring, UARS, or mild to moderate sleep apnea and either cannot or chooses not to wear an appliance or CPAP device. It can also be used as a co-therapy with those devices and represents a less invasive alternative to current surgical, chemical, or radio-surgical options that may require hospitalization, general anesthesia, or soft-tissue mutilation.
What is Nightlase?
NightLase is an effective, safe, non-surgical, and virtually painless procedure using an Er: YAG laser. It is an alternative to dental splints or surgery. It can even eliminate the need for a CPAP machine in those suffering from mild sleep apnea. NightLase TM is a simple walk-in and walk-out procedure, with no downtime required. There is no preparation required prior to treatment, and there is no need for painkillers, antibiotics, or any other medications after treatment.
Advantages of NightLase
The NightLase laser is a groundbreaking, gentle and effective treatment for snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea.
NightLase employs the use of Fotona’s LightWalker Er: YAG part of a twin laser with a specifically designed handpiece to warm, condition, strengthen, tighten, and shrink the tissues causing snoring and sleep apnea problems. This lessens or eliminates snoring and/or sleep apnea problems.
Non-surgical:
Unlike surgery, NightLase TM on a non-invasive procedure that doesn’t involve injections, cutting, bleeding, or sutures.
Virtually Painless:
There can be some mild discomfort due to heat during the procedure, but if necessary, this can easily be easily relieved with a local anesthetic spray.
No Down Time:
It is truly a walk-in and walk-out procedure, with no preparation required prior to the treatment and no disruption to activities afterward.
No Complications:
There are no reported problems with treatment. There is no need for painkillers or antibiotics. No downtime afterward
No pain, No scalpels, No sutures, and no scarring of palatial tissues as in other techniques.
Lessens the intensity and duration of snoring and sleep apnea
Improves your quality of sleep
Results up to one year
How Does NightLase Work?
The NightLase procedure uses the gentle heat photothermal capabilities of the Fotona Lightwalker laser to convert and initiate the formation of new and more elastic collagen which then opens up the airway at the back of the mouth, by tightening and strengthening the loose soft tissues. Immediately visible shrinkage is observed via the laser effect upon the collagen fibers. It is the toning of the throat tissues around the pharynx which helps hold the airway open.
The treatment involves the application of laser energy to carefully targeted areas of the soft palate, uvula, tonsil area, and oropharynx. The base of the tongue can also be treated.
Heating of these tissues causes a contraction and remodeling of collagen fibers, the formation of new youthful collagen fibers, leading to a tightening of the oropharyngeal tissues and visible elevation of the soft palate and uvula, as well as a lowering of the tongue. This results in an improvement in the upper airway volume.
A reduction in snoring should become apparent immediately after treatment. Neocollagenesis (laying down of NEW collage fibers) continues to improve the result in the six months following a course of treatments.
Three (3) treatment sessions are recommended. While an improvement is often noticed after the initial session, subsequent sessions ensure optimal long-lasting relief from snoring.
Are There Any Side Effects?
There are no long-term complications following NightLase treatment.
The cast majority of patients experience no effects at all.
Some people might experience minor issues such as a mild sore throat.
Occasionally, there can be slight ulcerations in the areas treated.
Even if this happens, they heal naturally within a week.
The Nightlase Treatment Process
Freeing yourself from snoring requires just three (3) treatment sessions of 30 minutes…three (3) weeks apart with Dr. Petrosky at Tuckerton Dental:
Visit 1:
Dr. Petrosky will perform a thorough medical assessment of your snoring and your suitability for laser treatment. One of the reasons treatment might not be effective is if you are very overweight.
Visit 2:
It’s time for your first 30-minute NightLase treatment.
There is no special preparation required prior to this treatment, no significant discomfort during treatment, and you might find your snore less that night. You can immediately return to your normal life, but it is advisable to avoid hot drinks, hard foods, and raising your voice excessively for a few days.
Visit 3:
You will have your second 30-minute NightLase 3 weeks later.
If there wasn’t sufficient improvement after your first treatment, Dr. Petrosky might use a stronger laser setting.
Visit 4:
You will have your third and final 30-minute NightLase 3 weeks later. Hopefully, this will result in long-lasting relief from snoring.
Follow-Up Visit:
One Month Later
Results have been shown to last up to one year! When the patient notices the effects fading, another round of treatment is suggested.
Six (6) Months Later:
We recommend a ‘Collagen Boost Treatment’ every 6 months to maintain your treatment.
When you or your sleeping partner notice the effects beginning to erode (the parapharyngeal tissues losing their tone), then have another treatment (usually one) to tighten the soft palate, uvula, and sides of the anterior throat area.
Although you can still wear your Intra-oral appliance or use the CPAP machine, NightLase is an independent procedure, especially helpful for those who cannot, or will not, use CPAP or oral appliances.
No appliances are part of this technique.
For more information on NightLase snoring treatment, contact Dr. Petrosky & staff at Tuckerton Dental at 609-296-1007
CERTIFICATE: NightLase and SmoothLase from the Academy of Clinical Technology