Clinical Research on Obstructive Sleep Apnea

My partner had obstructive sleep apnea and chose to have an operation which fortunately for him this worked. For many others with sleep apnea this may not be a solution. As an expert in dentistry there may be an alternative for the patient. Studies have shown positive results with the use of a dental sleep apnea device with regular follow up visits may be a long term solution for obstructive sleep apnea sufferers.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is considered the most common type of sleep apnea. This means that the airway has collapsed during sleep and the resulting blockage may cause breathing pauses. Any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. Snoring is not to be mistaken for sleep apnea. Snoring is simply that loud sound that occurs while asleep if there is any obstruction in your airway. While it may be unpleasant, snoring is not in itself a harmful condition. Snoring does often accompany sleep apnea, however.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a less common type of sleep apnea, which happens when the part of your brain that controls breathing doesn't send the correct signals to the breathing muscles. Hence, you don't breathe for brief periods. Snoring doesn't usually happen with central sleep apnea.

Snoring can be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea and is a noise created by the partial blocking of the airway. When you fall asleep your muscles relax, including those that control the tongue and throat. The soft tissue at the back of your throat can sag, narrowing the air passage. Incoming air then makes the tissue at the rear roof of the mouth (the soft palate), the flap of skin hanging from the palate (uvula) and the throat vibrate: a sound we know as snoring.

The SomnoDent® Mandibular Advancement Splint (MAS) is a clinically validated treatment for sleep apnea. The SomnoDent® MAS treats mild, moderate and severe sleep apnea by moving the lower jaw slightly forward. Doing so tightens the soft tissue and muscles of the upper airway, which prevents airway blockage while you sleep. The SomnoDent® MAS also prevents the tissues of the upper airway from vibrating as air passes over them, which is one of the main causes of snoring.

This is a custom made medical dental appliance by combining a number of key design features which represent vast improvements on existing snoring appliances. SomnoDent® MAS has been reported to be a more comfortable and effective dental snoring appliance.