Sleep Disorders

Oral Appliances

These appliances reduce sleep apnea associated health risks without the need for surgery, medications, or other therapies. A custom oral appliance worn while sleeping holds the lower jaw forward and open, preventing the tongue and throat tissues from blocking the critical airway. There is a 96% success rate treating snoring with these appliances.

OASYS

The OASYS Oral/Nasal Airway System is the first dental device to be reviewed by both the dental and ENT divisions of the FDA. It is approved as a dental device for treatment of snoring and sleep apnea through mandibular repositioning, and also as a nasal dilator for reduction of nasal resistance and improved nasal breathing. To understand the way the dilator works, close your lips and hold your teeth together while breathing slowly through your nose for several breaths. Then allow air to fill your upper lip and try the breathing again. Notice how much easier it is to inhale? This is why the OASYS is designed this way.

One “mandibular-repositioning” appliance we use is called the Thornton Adjustable Positioner (TAP®), which is a mandibular advancement device composed of two separate arches (maxillary and mandibular) containing an advancing mechanism which permits unlimited advancement of the lower jaw. The arches are custom fitted to the patient. The advancing mechanism in the upper tray is turned to advance the mandible until the patient begins to feel any discomfort in the temporomandibular joint or in the facial muscles (maximum mechanical protrusion which is an average of 2.5mm beyond maximum protrusion). It is then turned back until patient is comfortable.


The SomnoDent MAS™ is an oral appliance, which fits over the upper and lower teeth, much like a sports mouthguard. However unlike a sports mouthguard it is a precision-made, clinically-tested medical device.It is highly effective (in most cases) in stopping snoring and treating obstructive sleep apnea in the mild to moderate range.

The SomnoDent MAS™ treats both snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), by advancing the lower jaw forward. It is a custom-made device consisting of upper and lower dental plates with a unique patented fin-coupling mechanism.

The medical term for your lower jaw is ‘mandible’ and an oral appliance worn over the teeth is a ‘splint’, hence the name SomnoMed Mandibular Advancement Splint, or SomnoDent MAS™. ( Mandibular advancement splints are also known as mandibular advancement devices (MADs) or mandibular repositioning appliances (MRAs).

The SUAD appliance allows more lateral movement than most of the other appliances, and is specially-made for patients who grind their teeth at night. The thermoflex material usually requires heating in warm/hot water to soften it enough for use every night. It also comes with a Morning Repositioner, used for isometric exercises (clenching on bicuspid area) for 15 minutes in the morning to return the bite to normal.

The SILENT NITE® device does not interfere with breathing through the mouth, and is one of the more comfortable designs. It is not made for severe teeth grinders, but it is a comparatively small device with tiny connectors attached to transparent flexible upper and lower forms.

Another mandibular-repositioner is the Silencer Professional, a laboratory-fabricated fully adjustable oral appliance. The appliance features a titanium precision attachment, which controls the anatomical settings of the appliance. It is capable of anteroposterior adjustment as well as vertical adjustment through a range of 10mm, in both dimensions. The design of the precision attachment also allows lateral movement of the mandible which respects and protects the TMJ.

Another type of appliance is the Tongue Retaining Device. The “TRD” is constructed of a flexible polyvinyl material adapted to the general contours of the teeth and dental arches. This device does not depend on teeth for retention. Rather, the tongue is held forward by the negative pressure created in the vacuum bulb on the front of the appliance.

A less complicated version of a tongue-retaining device is the AveoTSD, or “Tongue Stabilizing Device”. The aveoTSD is made from a soft medical silicone for comfort and works by holding the tongue forward by gentle suction preventing it from falling back against the back of the throat , keeping the airway open during sleep.

The TSD is ideal for edentulous patients, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) indicated disorders, large tongue problems, complicated dentition conditions, periodontal problems, and children. Unlike the other devices, the aveoTSD does not attach to the teeth, but acts much like a pacifier.

Please call us at 732-455-3030 to discuss your treatment options.