When it comes to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), there are a number of ways to treat this problem but today I just want to review what laser therapy can do. When you are examined by your doctor for Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB), the MD or the dentist will ask you to ‘open big and say AHH’. Based on how much of the palate and how much tongue shows, a classification is identified. A high Mallampati score means the throat is more blocked than it should be- see the score chart below.
So, what do you do about this? One option is to go to the ENT surgeon who can literally cut away some of the oversized tongue along with surgically opening the palate. Needless to say, this is a painful procedure and my opinion only be done as a last resort when all other avenues are exhausted. The other issue is that after about two years the palate will grow back down. If you go from Mallampati Class 3 to a Class 2 post surgery, it just might go back to Class 3 a couple years later and then you are back to the surgeon’s office once again.
If you’re seeking a non-surgical way to reduce snoring or address concerns about OSA, the Fotona laser might be the answer. This procedure not only shrinks the tongue but also tightens the palate, creating better airflow through the throat. I use this innovative technology often in my office, and it has proven effective for many patients. Some may still rely on CPAP machines as recommended by their physicians, but the laser treatment can lead to noticeable breathing improvements and reduced snoring. A viable alternative I am referring to for opening the tongue and throat area is by using the Fotona laser. This procedure actually shrink the tongue by make it smaller and to tighten up the palate area at the same time. In my office, I use this technology frequently to help people who snore and are concerned about OSA. Yes, they still use CPAP if their MD tells them to, but by shrinking back the tongue and palate they can breathe easier with less snoring.
Using the Fotona laser is actually fairly easy for the patient. There is no need for any anesthetic since it does not hurt. You can actually leave the office and go grab a hot coffee as you drive back home or to the office. Basically, there is no down time. The procedure takes about half an hour and all you have to do is lay back in the chair. I use a special wand that emits a laser light across the tongue and palate areas. You feel only a bit of warmness and that’s about it. The worst part is that as the tongue starts to shrink and the palate opens up; the dentist likes to get back even further to improve the situation and this might make you gag a little.
The use of the Fotona laser looks like this, before and after: (Photo courtesy of Fotona)
Treating these cases in our office usually involves 3-5 sessions, scheduled about two weeks apart. Though effective, the results require maintenance over time, the tongue accumulates fat tissue again, and the palate shrinks slightly, making the tongue look larger. To sustain results, repeating the process annually is necessary. Laser technology effectively shrinks the tongue by melting its fat tissue. (As for whether this can target belly fat—sorry, it can’t 😊)