Beam Me to Sleep, Scotty: Engage the Lasers and Eliminate Snoring

In our quest to "live long and prosper", we know that breathing well and regenerative sleep are vital. If you've been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, it can make breathing and sleep nearly impossible. The good news is that the medical community has more options than just a CPAP machine, such as, myofunctional therapy which can reduced these blockages by 50%, even while you're sleeping! With advancements in laser technology, professionals have a new tool that can be used along side therapy to further reduce these obstructions. Laser therapy...the final frontier.

Airway obstructions can happen anywhere in your nasal passages, throat, mouth, or even deeper down near the epiglottis. It is always important to be evaluated by a profession to determine where the obstructions are originating. If you are experiencing obstructions in the area of the mouth and the throat, laser therapy may be a good treatment option for you. Laser therapy works by gently heating the tissues of the tongue, soft palate and throat in order to tightening these tissues. When we reduce the size of these tissues, it helps decrease the vibrations that cause snoring and physically opens up the upper airway.

(Victor, 1999)

When it comes to sleep apnea laser therapy, lasers like Solea and Fontona are the most commonly choices. Both are non-invasive treatments that help address snoring and sleep apnea by tightening the soft tissues in the mouth and upper airway. Both procedures are quick, generally painless and require no incisions, no anesthesia and no down time. Before we go full speed ahead, let's set our phasers to stun and review the differences between these two popular options so you can choose the one that is best for you.

Convergent Dental, 2020

Our first option for therapy is called, Solea Sleep. This therapy utilizes a CO2 laser developed my Solea. This treatment uses a CO2 laser that can gently target deeper layers of tissue. The heat from the laser tightens collagen and reduces the size of soft tissues, physically opening the airway, without harming the surface layers. Because it reaches those deeper areas, only need one or two sessions, usually spaced about 3 to 4 weeks apart. After that, just once or twice a year for maintenance is usually enough to keep things in check. Plus, since it often requires fewer treatments, it tends to be more budget-friendly than some other options.

The second is Nightlase, which was developed by Fotona. It uses an erbium laser to tighten collagen on the surface tissue layers of the mouth and throat. The number of treatments vary from person to person, but Fotona recommends three separate treatment sessions over a six week period. While Fotona recommends three sessions, I've spoken with a local provider who generally recommends 4-5 treatments but has suggested doing up to 15 treatments for one patient—so there’s often more some flexibility based on individual goals. Just like other options out there, Nightlase results can last up to a year. After that, it's a good idea to check in with your healthcare provider and consider a maintenance session to keep things going smoothly. Due to the increase in treatments Nightlase is typically more expensive and more a larger investment in your time.

Nightlase, 2018

Both Solea Sleep and Nightlase are non-invasive laser treatments that have been proven to reduce upper airway obstruction. The “best” treatment approach varies for each individual and often depends on the availability of qualified providers in your area. I always empower my patients to take an active role in their health decisions, and having more options and understanding for treating sleep-disordered breathing is extremely powerful.

As a myofunctional therapist, I’ve seen firsthand how transformative it can be when we adapt and evolve our approach to care. The ability to combine laser therapies like Solea Sleep or Nightlase with myofunctional therapy represents a major shift—a true game changer in the way we support patients with airway disorders.

Airway obstructions are rarely one-dimensional; they arise from a complex interplay of anatomical and neuromuscular factors. Myofunctional therapy addresses the neuromuscular component, retraining the muscles that shape how we breathe, sleep, and grow. Meanwhile, anatomical concerns can be approached through orthodontics, tonsillectomy—and now, with the emergence of laser therapy, we have a new, non-invasive tool in our arsenal.

In the spirit of exploration, we embrace innovation and adaptability—charting a course toward personalized care that evolves with science and boldly goes where traditional treatments have not.

"Change is the essential process of all existence" -Spock

Convergent Dental. (2020, February 12). Solea Sleep Protocol-Dr Anthony Bolamperti. YouTube. https://youtu.be/WMNxcBLMgos?si=nc9R8jPQqjjlIyja

Fotona Lasers. (2018, May 21). NightLase. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md5KW6BvAig

Picavet, V. A., Dellian, M., Gehrking, E., Sauter, A., & Hasselbacher, K. (2022). Treatment of snoring using a non-invasive er:YAG laser with Smooth mode (NightLase): A randomized controlled trial. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 280(1), 307–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07539-9

Victor, L. D. (1999, November 15). Obstructive Sleep Apnea. American Family Physician. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/1999/1115/p2279.html