Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a dangerous, potentially life-threatening condition. It is characterized by interruptions of breathing during sleep. The tongue relaxes during sleep and collapses on the airway. These periodic obstructions of breathing during sleep can compromise a good quality of life and are related to other serious medical conditions such as excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. It occurs in all age groups including children, but is most prevalent in older adults.

Sleep apnea is a disorder unique to human beings. Speech is a special characteristic that distinguishes humans from lower animals. The articulation of speech requires a compliant, collapsible airway. The throat or pharynx is the compliant part of the airway that facilitates speech in humans, and collapses in sleep apnea. Air passes through the nose, mouth and pharynx on its way to the lungs. The pharynx is the conduit for two life supporting functions - swallowing and breathing. Breathing cannot occur simultaneously with swallowing in adult human beings. Normally the muscles of the pharynx maintain the open airway and close it only during swallowing and regurgitation. The exception is sleep apnea, a condition where the pharynx and tongue malfunction, collapse the airway and interrupt breathing during sleep.

THE MOSES™ APPLIANCE

The Moses™ appliance is properly categorized as an open-anterior oral airway dilator. The Moses™ is an acrylic appliance that is worn in the mouth at night to treat obstructive sleep apnea, hypopnea and snoring and is FDA approved. It is custom-fitted and laboratory fabricated.

The Moses™ appliance works in the following ways:
• Supports the lower jaw in a forward position of low muscle activity and it
prevents collapse of the tongue on the pharynx
• Increases volume of space for the tongue in the mouth
• Dilates pharyngeal muscles, lifts the drooping soft palate
• Raises the position of the hyoid bone relative to cranial base
• Lowers elevator muscle activity, reduces clenching, decreases or prevents
bruxism

Additional, advantages of The Moses™ appliance:
• Activates tongue protruding reflexes resulting in tongue advancement
• Elevates tongue to the hard palate and increases nasal air flow
• Allows lip seal
• Corrects dysphagia
• Comfortable and adjustable

This device is contraindicated for patients with loose teeth, loose dental work, numerous missing teeth, dentures or other oral conditions that would be adversely affected by wearing an intraoral dental device which maintains the jaws in a protrusive jaw position. The Moses™ appliance is also contraindicated for patients who have central apnea, severe respiratory disorders, or are under eighteen years of age. Additional contraindications are active orthodontic treatment and/or active TMJ disorder; pain and clicking noise, limited opening or protrusions.