At Rochester Advanced Dentistry we recognize sleep apnea as a potentially health-threatening condition which can be treated. If you tend to snore, it’s possible you have some sleep apnea, which arises from a blocked airway during sleep. As the body’s oxygen need increases you wake, or partially awaken, to gasp for air, and then sink back into sleep. This can happen scores of times each night, reducing your sleep time to an unacceptably low level.
One of the techniques Rochester Advanced Dentistry uses to keep the airway open is to move the lower jaw forward and hold it there with a special device such as the SomnoMed Mandibular Advancement Splint. Another way is to hold the tongue forward. The Tongue Stabilizing Device (TSD) repositions the tongue using gentle suction.
How the TSD Works
The TSD is made of a medical grade silicone which stretches to fit your tongue, but also maintains its shape. It does not need to come in assorted sizes, as its ability to stretch enables the one size to fit everyone.
By holding the tongue in a slightly forward position the TSD prevents it from falling back against the airway as you sleep. That prevents the airway tissue from vibrating against itself, which is what causes the sound of snoring. The airway walls are kept a healthy distance apart, allowing plenty of oxygen-rich air to enter the lungs, and the used air to exit.
How to Use the TSD
Before you insert it, rinse your mouth with water to moisten it. Insert your tongue into the TSD’s sleeve and gently squeeze the sides of the bulb to push air out. This creates the suction that will keep your tongue forward as you sleep. You do not have to push your tongue completely to the tip of the TSD.
You will be able to swallow comfortably with the TSD in place. It is so simple to use and so effective that it is safe for children as well as adults.
Who Can Benefit from TSD Use?
Anyone who suffers from sleep apnea and disruptive snoring can use the TSD to get more sleep. If your snoring disturbs your sleeping partner, depriving you both of needed sleep, the TSD can solve that problem. Some specific conditions that would make you a good candidate for the TSD are:
- Lack of any teeth
- Tooth complications which affect your bite
- Periodontal problems
- A larger tongue than average
- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ / TMD)
Chronic lack of sleep can cause many harmful health conditions and disrupt your daily activities. By using this effective and simple device you can eliminate those risks and problems and keep yourself rested, promoting better health.
You can read more about treatments for sleep apnea on our ApneaLink™ and SomnoMed MAS™’ pages.
To learn more about sleep apnea, snoring, and ways to deal with these problems, please call (248) 656-2020 or email our dentistry office today. We will be glad to arrange a personal consultation for you.
