When should double jaw surgery be considered for sleep apnea treatment?


Hello. The Bareun Outline Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Dental Clinic, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Specialist Sanghoon Leeis the value.
Have you ever woken up feeling unusually tired despite sleeping, or been told by others that you snore loudly, and worried about it? Snoring and sleep apnea, which are easily dismissed as mere sleeping habits, are actually clear ‘diseases‘ that obstruct oxygen supply to our bodies. In particular, these symptoms are closely related to the 'jaw structure', which serves as the airway we use to breathe every day and provides the central structure of our face.
Today on The Bare Contour blog, we'll discuss what was covered in the YouTube video Six key questions about sleep apnea and snoring, from causes and dental treatments to mouth breathing habits in growing childrenHere's a breakdown in an easy-to-understand Q&A format.

Q1. Does the habit of breathing through your mouth when you are young actually change the shape of your jawbone?
To get straight to the point, it can actually have a significant impact on jaw growth and facial shape. Of course, this is not for adults Growing childrenThis story applies to.
If children have difficulty breathing through their nose for a long time due to rhinitis or other conditions, they naturally start breathing through their mouth, which can become a habit, leading them to primarily engage in mouth breathing instead of nasal breathing. The biggest problem in this situation is the ‘tongue position.'.
When breathing normally through the nose, the tongue rests on the roof of the mouth, exerting upward pressure (acting as a brace) on the jaw. Our bones develop their shape under this pressure. However, when the mouth is open and the tongue drops, the palate cannot grow roundly and instead becomes pointed and narrow.
- Changes that occur when mouth breathing is prolonged: The palate narrows, causing the molars on both sides to also narrow. Scissors biteThis causes the teeth to become crooked.
- Repeatedly pulling the chin back can cause the upper jaw to droop downwards or develop unfavorably for the lower jaw's growth, ultimately leading to a long and narrow face shape (adenoid face).

Q2. I snore heavily. Could this be related to my jaw structure?
Yes, it's very deeply related. Snoring is not just a matter of restless sleep; it's a sign that there is an obstruction in the airway, the path air takes during sleep.
Breathing passages can also be affected by soft tissue issues such as nasal congestion, rhinitis, enlarged tonsils and adenoids, and enlarged uvulas. However, individuals with a particularly small and significantly receded lower jaw structure (underbite skeletal structure) are very likely to snore severely. This is because the receding jaw physically narrows the breathing passage beneath the chin (nasopharynx, oropharynx). When air flows through a narrowed airway, surrounding tissues vibrate intensely, which manifests as snoring sounds.

Q3. I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Can it be treated at a dental clinic?
Yes, it can definitely be treated at a dental clinic. Sleep apnea is a significant health-threatening condition, and dentistry (particularly oral medicine or oral and maxillofacial surgery) also offers clear solutions for its improvement.
The method primarily used in dental clinics is ‘intraoral device treatment," which artificially moves the lower jaw forward to secure an airway. Recently, many dental clinics are equipped with polysomnography facilities, allowing for precise diagnosis of apnea during an overnight sleep study, followed by treatment.

Q4. What is the principle by which intraoral devices are effective for sleep apnea?
An oral appliance is a device made to fit snugly in your mouth. It clips onto either the upper or lower teeth, While sleeping, keep your lower jaw slightly forward, not dropped back.It is a principle that holds one in place.
When the chin is artificially protruded, the tongue and surrounding muscles attached to the jawbone are also pulled forward. As a result, because it prevents the tongue from blocking the throat and keeps the airway open at the back It can excellently improve sleep apnea symptoms where breathing stops during sleep.

Q5. If sleep apnea is severe, can double jaw surgery be a solution?
In the treatment of sleep apnea, double jaw surgery can be the definitive and most reliable solution.
As stated in the treatment guidelines of the Stanford Sleep Center, a world-renowned sleep medicine institution, the final treatment for sleep apnea is MMA (Maxillomandibular Advancement). This is commonly referred to as ‘double jaw surgery" in Korea.
This surgery involves moving both the upper and lower jaws forward to permanently and significantly widen the narrowed airway space. However, we do not recommend double jaw surgery unconditionally from the outset. It is considered as a last resort for severe skeletal apnea patients who do not show improvement even after undergoing conservative treatment steps such as intraoral devices or CPAP machines.

Q6. My child sleeps with their mouth open. Should I start orthodontic treatment or therapy now?
If the child is simply sleeping with their mouth open temporarily on a particularly tiring day, there's no need to start immediate correction or extensive treatment.
However, if, upon close observation, the child consistently shows clear signs of ‘mouth breathing" – seeming uncomfortable breathing through their nose and only breathing through their mouth – the situation is different. If they always have their mouth open, not just when sleeping but also during the day, or if their nose always appears blocked, then it is strongly recommended that you visit a hospital to check for any structural causes. This is because the best time to identify and correct the cause of skeletal deformities during growth is before they become fixed.
To find the root cause of snoring and sleep apnea, a comprehensive analysis is needed, covering facial bone structure, dental occlusion, temporomandibular joints, and the condition of the soft tissues surrounding the airway.
At The Barun Face Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, we provide the safest and most precise solutions, from intraoral devices to surgical approaches if necessary, by thoroughly analyzing your skeletal structure based on our extensive clinical experience in facial bone surgery. If you are suffering from fatigue due to stuffy breathing at night preventing you from getting a good night's sleep, please feel free to visit us anytime for a precise diagnosis from our oral and maxillofacial surgery specialists.
This was Dr. Sanghoon Lee, the head doctor of The BareunGwak Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Dental Clinic. Thank you.

[Information and Location]
- Healthcare Institution Name: The Right Contour Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Center
- Address: 2nd and 4th Floor, 7, Seojeon-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan Metropolitan City (Near Seomyeon Station Exit 8)
- Medical professional explanation: Chief Director Lee Sang-hoon (Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon)
※ All surgical and device treatments may cause side effects such as pain, temporomandibular joint discomfort, and changes in occlusion depending on the individual's condition and skeletal structure. Therefore, please make a careful decision after thorough consultation and precise diagnosis with a skilled specialist.




















































































