Snoring is a snooze kill: A revolutionary procedure to help patients who snore

Nov. 8, 2022

Dentists can quickly and effectively help their patients who snore by using the new Solea Sleep procedure.

Some patients snore so loudly they wake themselves. People often don’t realize they snore until someone tells them because snoring often prevents their bed partner from getting a good night’s sleep. There are many ways to reduce snoring. Holistic approaches include exercise, weight loss, changing sleep position, reducing alcohol intake, and smoking cessation. Medical interventions involve nasal decongestants, nasal strips, mouth appliances, surgery, and Solea Sleep therapy.

What’s involved in performing Solea Sleep?

The Solea Sleep procedure does not involve needles. Topical anesthetic spray is used to numb the tissues of the soft palate. The Solea laser, with its unique 9.3 μm wavelength, effectively targets the deep lamina propria layer of the soft palate that has a high concentration of collagen.⁶ The energy from the Solea causes a disruption in the cross linkage of the collagen fibers, causing the soft palate to become firmer, and therefore eliminate and decrease snoring.¹

Intraoral view of Solea Sleep procedure being performed

During treatment, patients may feel some warmth but little to no discomfort. Further contraction of the soft palate can be achieved by completing an additional Solea Sleep procedure within 20 to 30 days after the initial treatment, thus reducing snoring even more. Since Solea Sleep is a nonsurgical procedure, patients can return to their daily routine without any limitations.

Virtually all adult patients snore at some point. Forty-four percent of men and 28% of women 30 to 60 years old snore regularly.⁷When they reach 60 and beyond, approximately half of the population snore regularly.⁸ As patients age, Solea Sleep can not only help them, but also their bed partners. This revolutionary, 9.3 μm soft-tissue laser therapy reduces snoring and enhances patients’ oral and overall health.

Editor's note: This article appeared in the November 2022 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.

References

Kim Y. What is Solea Sleep? Laser treatment for snoring. Convergent Dental. October 2020. https://www.convergentdental.com/blog/what-is-solea-sleep-snoring-treatment?hsLang=en
Different types of snoring: Why they occur and how to diagnose? Sleep apnea and snoring solution, CPAP device, respiratory care. ResMed. 2020. https://www.resmed.co.in/blogs/types-of-snoring

Website copy template. Solea doctors. https://convergentdental.force.com/support/Marketing?cid=Solea%2BSleep

Badreddine AH, Couitt S, Kerbage C. Histopathological and biomechanical changes in soft palate in response to non-ablative 9.3-μm CO₂laser irradiation: an in vivo study. Lasers Med Sci. 2021;36(2):413-420. doi:10.1007/s10103-020-03087-y
Ligocki J. Solea Sleep. Ligocki Dental Group. 2021. https://www.ligockidentalgroup.com/soleareg-sleep
Martinez K, Bolamperti A. A simple and non-surgical solution for snoring. Dental Products Report. November 13, 2020. https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/view/simple-and-non-surgical-solution-snoring
Rowley JA. Snoring in adults. UpToDate. 2019. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/snoring-in-adults
Yaremchuk K. Why and when to treat snoring. Otolaryngologic Clin North Am. 2020;53(3):351-365. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32336469/

About the Author

Lauryn N. Ligocki, DDS

Lauryn N. Ligocki, DDS, adapts dental technology for the betterment of her patients. She began as a dental assistant and graduated from Indiana University School of Dentistry in 2020. She promotes oral-systemic health through using technology and changing lives one smile at a time. She practices with her father, Dr. Mark A. Ligocki, at Ligocki Dental Group in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, where they implement technology to promote a healthy mouth that impacts the patient’s whole body.

Updated October 6, 2022