Treatment of snoring and sleep apnea

For some time now, different specialists in Dentistry and Stomatology have been carrying out research to treat snoring and sleep apnea.
Dr. Pere Campistol Plana and Mr. Eusebi Omedes have designed a new device for the treatment of snoring and mild sleep apnea: OORS1 (Oral Sleep Relaxation Orthosis).
It is an appliance that in a millimetric and simultaneous way allows to advance the jaw and increase the vertical dimension, increasing the permeability of the upper airways, avoiding the blockage of the airways, improving breathing during the night and neutralizing snoring and mild sleep apnea.

Functioning of the device

It is based on the maintenance of an opening and a winnowing of the mandible with respect to the upper jaw. This is provided by a micro screw which, when properly positioned, will determine the most suitable position for optimum effectiveness.
Thus, the screw can be placed with an inclination with respect to the horizontal between 30 and 45 degrees, as appropriate. The less inclination of the screw (30ΒΊ) the greater the advance and the less lifting. If, on the other hand, the angle is increased (45ΒΊ), the advancement will be equivalent to the opening.

What is sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious respiratory disorder that can be fatal.
Patients who have apneas, and are not treated, have a higher mortality rate. These patients are three to four times more likely to have occupational and traffic accidents, and their quality of life is significantly lower.
Sleep apnea syndrome is characterized by repeated upper airway obstructions that impede airflow to the lungs. Patients repeatedly stop breathing during sleep up to 80 to 100 times in one night. This considerably reduces the flow of oxygen to vital organs with serious health consequences.
During sleep, the thighs responsible for keeping the airways permeable, suffer a relaxation of the air passage through the pharynx, the soft tissues vibrate and cause snoring.
Sometimes a decrease in the level of airflow causes a decrease in blood oxygen flow, the brain is altered by this decrease in oxygen leading to various episodes of sleep interruption during the night.

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Effects of sleep apnea

– Snoring
– Distress
– Attention problems
– Chronic fatigue
– Behavioral disorders, irritability
– Depression
– Fibromyalgia
– Gastric reflux
– Impotence and erectile decline
– Decreased sexual desire
– Weight gain
– Diabetes
– Cardiac problems
– Endocrine and metabolic disorders
– Migraine headaches
– Decreased motor skills
– Reduced sensory capacity

OORS1 reduces apnea and hypopnea episodes in more than half of the cases, reduces snoring and improves daytime sleepiness symptoms.
The specialists in Dentistry and Stomatology evaluate the suitability of each patient with respect to the use of the appliance, making them answer a questionnaire. They also collaborate with different centers for the treatment of sleep disorders by performing polysomnographic analyses beforehand.
They also perform initial cephalometric analyses on patients to establish a temporal sequence of mandibular advancements. The control of the patient after 2 or 3 months of using the appliance, evaluating the remission of subjective symptoms is fundamental. This is the time to adjust the appliance and modify it if necessary. Regular patient check-ups are recommended especially in the first year of use.

Advantages of the appliance:

– Allows speaking for short periods of time.
– Allows the intake of liquids during the night.
– Allows lateral displacement of the lower jaw, adapting the jaw to the cushion or where we lean to rest.

Apart from solving the problem of snoring and mild apneas, it can also solve occlusive problems such as: bruxism, unloading splints, etc.
Whitening treatments can be used at the same time using the same splints as whitening trays and as orthodontic treatment in the retentive phase.