Crooked Teeth and Other Culprits.

• Position: SLEEP APNEA

There is nothing like waking refreshed after a good night's sleep. For too many people, though, it does not happen enough--if at all. "Sleep is essential for survival and 70,000,000 Americans suffer from a sleep problem," says dentist Daniel Klauer, author of Achieve Your Victory: Solutions for TMD and Sleep Apnea.

The inability to log enough hours of shuteye each night is more than just an annoyance. Conditions that prevent or affect sleep can lead to a cascade of negative health consequences, cautions Klauer, whose dental practice makes sleep breathing disorders a focus.

"A sleep breathing disorder can cause someone to stop breathing, either partially or completely, when they're sleeping. That can result in daytime sleepiness or fatigue that often reduces quality of life and inability to function throughout the day."

The most common such disorder is obstructive sleep apnea, which can lead to other health problems, including chronic diseases, like diabetes, and even death. Klauer says he sees more men who have sleep-deprivation symptoms than women.

A number of factors can contribute to obstructive sleep apnea, including:

* Crooked teeth. They are an indication that your tongue does not have the space it needs inside the mouth. "When there's not enough room, the tongue can obstruct the airway," Klauer notes. Of course, even people with straight teeth can have obstructive breathing; it just is less likely for them.

* Improper jaw development. If the maxilla (upper jawbone) and mandible (lower jaw) are not fully developed forward and wide, the dimensions of your airway will be reduced.

* Swollen tonsils and adenoids. Both are...