Mandibular Tori and Sleep Apnea

Hi,
Six months ago I received a severe Sleep apnea diagnosis after a sleep lab study. This was a relief to me after battling heavy fatigue for years. 100% compliant and I am noting an improvement in my well being. I had been a heavy snorer for years but I guess I did not fit the "profile " for an apnea diagnosis or study until I had a lot of blood drawn and other testing done. My referral to a sleep doc came from my GP eventually.
Anyway, one issue I have not seen mentioned in the Apnea Forums is the correlation between people who have large Mandibular Tori structures in their jaw that displaces the tongue from its retracted resting place and OSA sleep apnea. My Tori are quite large and I had been unable to tolerate dental X-Rays due to the "bite wings" not fitting into my inner jaw bone. A number of years ago the dentist gave up trying the normal in office X-Rays and sent me to a "Pano X-Ray Lab" to do an external scan of my teeth. Do any of the forum members have similar Tori issues? This correlation of Tori size and lack of "parking space" for the resting/ sleeping tongue could help a lot of people get a sleep study or referral to a Sleep Study Doc from the Dentists that typically see a patient every six months for a cleaning and check up. Once I had tried the oral anti snore appliance from an online site and could not tolerate that in my mouth so I do think those dentists that supply and custom fit these anti snore devices may best serve their patients by getting them to a sleep doctor for a sleep study if they are seeing patients that complain of snoring. Any forum members have a similar experience ?

Years ago, when I needed a partial, my dentist surgically removed some of the tori so the partial would fit in my mouth

Sonoomohoseo wrote:I do think those dentists that supply and custom fit these anti snore devices may best serve their patients by getting them to a sleep doctor for a sleep study if they are seeing patients that complain of snoring.

That is true. If someone is snoring so badly that they would go through the process of fitting, the cost of paying for, and the wearing of a MAD, then they likely don't just snore. They likely have sleep apnea.

Sonoomohoseo wrote:My Tori are quite large

Have you considered tori removal/reduction as a possibility of curing your sleep apnea? The surgery is fairly common. http://www.gumdoc.net/orthodontic-proce ... ction.html

Torii have a tendency to grow back when removed, and many dentists refuse to remove them
because they come back. You might need to see a sleep doctor for definitive treatment.
If they can be proven to cause breathing problems, barriers to surgery my be overruled.
When they are on the lengual side of the jaw, they can interfere with breathing.
Sometimes they even prevent intubation, a dangerous situation in an emergency.

A little over a month ago I had a sleep study done. My results came back positive. I tried a cpap machine for 3 weeks with good results. The price of the machine and how often they need to be replaced I looked into get an appointment with a specialist. In 2 weeks he will. E removing my Tori in hopes it will help. I will keep you posted.

How did your surgery go? I'm planning to have it done this summer.

Yes, I am having my tori removed in a few weeks. Oral surgeon says my tongue is not resting where it should be and it might be complicating the severe sleep apnea I was just diagnosed with.