Oral Appliance Therapy

The various oral appliances used by Dr. Katz for patients in the Herndon area are similar to a sports mouthguard or an orthodontic retainer. They are custom-fit for each patient, and constructed of soft, comfortable acrylic. The appliance fits over the upper and lower teeth. Its function is to hold the lower jaw forward so the tongue and soft tissues of the throat do not collapse into the throat causing snoring and sleep apnea. The device is easy to place and remove, easy to clean, and is convenient for travel.

For patients with mild sleep apnea, these devices are generally effective in providing relief in 75% of patients. For patients with moderate sleep apnea, these devices are 60% effective. And, for patients with severe sleep apnea, there is a 40% effective rate. Dr. Katz works closely with sleep medicine physicians in his area who provide overall diagnosis and treatment plans.  Dr. Katz offers a variety of oral appliances to meet your specific needs in a comfortable, caring environment. These devices are easily adjusted to find and maintain the best fit. Patients often experience immediate improvement in their sleep. Oral Appliance Therapy is easily tolerated, and is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine as a first-line treatment choice for snoring and mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Following are just some of the benefits:

• Easily Adjusted: Oral Appliances are easily adjusted, making it comfortable and maintaining the best fit.
• Immediate results: Most patients experience relief the very first night the device is worn.
• Easy to tolerate: Nine in ten patients wear the device all night, every night—making oral appliances a highly effective solution for both snoring and sleep apnea.
• Simple Solution: With oral appliance therapy, there is no need for surgery or medication.

TheraSnore
The Adjustable TheraSnore® antisnoring appliance from Distar, Albuquerque, NM, is a chairside-fit oral appliance available in different arch sizes. According to the company, studies show that the Adjustable TheraSnore is 93% effective in treating mild to moderate OSA and simple snoring. With the introduction of new arch sizes, the Adjustable TheraSnore now gives you an even more precise fit, increasing patient compliance to more than 95%, the company says. All TheraSnore appliances are fit in your office in 30 minutes or less without the need for models, impressions, or laboratories. The Adjustable TheraSnore is adjustable, forward or backward, in precise 1.5-mm increments without the need to refit the appliance.

TAP
Airway Management Inc (AMI), Dallas, offers products that improve the health and quality of life for people who suffer from sleep-disordered breathing. AMI sells the parts of the TAP, a custom-made antisnoring and sleep apnea device, to dental laboratories worldwide. The TAP's simple design and high compliance rate make it the most effective device available, according to the company.

Snore Guard
The Snore Guard® from Pro-Tex International, Salida, Calif, is an oral appliance designed to effectively treat patients with snoring and mild to moderate OSA. The product is patented and FDA approved. The Snore Guard is fit at chairside in 10 to 15 minutes. No outside laboratory work is required. Its one-piece design requires no multiple pieces, wires, or elastic bands.

Adjustable PM Positioner
Dental Services Group, Minneapolis, supplies the Adjustable PM Positioner, an intraoral appliance worn during sleep and used for the management of snoring and sleep apnea. The product keeps the airway open by holding the jaw in a forward position, minimizing or eliminating snoring and apneas.

EMA - Custom
Frantz Design Inc, Austin, Tex, offers the EMA® – Custom, a simple, patient-friendly oral appliance created for noninvasive treatment of snoring and OSA. The primary treatment mechanism of opening the bite and gently moving the mandible forward is achieved with the use of interchangeable elastic straps that offer varying degrees of mandibular advancement. The flexibility of these elastic straps provides unsurpassed lateral movement and overall TMJ comfort. The 2-mm-thick pressure-formed bases offer orthodontic retention (resulting in no tooth movement) and maximum anterior tongue space because there are no projections in the palate.

SomnoMed MAS
The SomnoMed MAS™ from SomnoMed, Denton, Tex, is an effective solution for the majority of patients with mild to moderate OSA who prefer oral appliances. Its levels of patient acceptance, compliance, and treatment efficacy are backed by a large body of clinical research, the company says. The SomnoMed MAS moves the lower jaw forward slightly, which tightens the soft tissues and muscles of the upper airway, preventing obstruction during sleep. The tightening also prevents tissues of the upper airway vibrating as air passes over them.