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Simple appliance treats snoring

Feb. 1, 2011
The aveoTSD has revolutionized the treatment of snoring, thanks to a simpe design that gets straight to the problem's source.

Michael DiTolla, DDS, FAGD

For more on this topic, go to www.dentaleconomics.com and search using the following key words: snoring, tongue, obstruction, airway, mandibular repositioning, Dr. Michael DiTolla.

The aveoTSD has revolutionized the treatment of snoring, thanks to a simpe design that gets straight to the problem's source. Sufferers are routinely prescribed everything from complicated, bedside CPAP machines that pump extra oxygen into their lungs at night, to mandibular appliances that attach to the teeth.

Some even opt for surgery as a desperate last resort; however, this option is either impractical, uncomfortable, or prohibitively expensive, and is known for its uncertain success rate.

Through its design, the aveoTSD discards these complications and uncertainties for the snorer. It is placed into the mouth, where it snugly fits in place to stop the tongue from falling back and blocking the airway. New Zealand orthodontist and sleep medicine expert, Dr. Chris Robertson, created the appliance's tongue-stabilizing design.

"To be honest, the aveoTSD is the simplest solution to a difficult problem and will address it worldwide. It looks simple, and is very simple, but it is hitting the problem at its source. Most people have a problem with the tongue falling back and blocking the airway, and this is how you address that which, is important," Dr. Robertson said.

The aveoTSD is a simple and minimally invasive device indicated for problem snoring. It can be used by any patient - even those without teeth, with periodontally compromised dentition, or with temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD/TMJ). The appliance is only available to patients in the U.S. by prescription from a dentist or physician.

Not every case of snoring is caused by the tongue blocking the airway. Nasal issues, as well as open-mouth sleeping and even the muscular anatomy of the mouth's palate, can play a role.

For more than a decade, mandibular repositioning devices have been safely prescribed by dentists and physicians to treat snoring by opening up the airway. The aveoTSD works by keeping the tongue from falling back in the throat and by increasing the three-dimensional airway space.

Cephalometric and videoendoscopic studies have established that a greater increase in oropharyngeal, velopharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal cross-sectional areas of the upper airway improves airway patency and function.

Like oral appliances, the aveoTSD is relatively inexpensive and simple to use. If you snore, it is easy to try the appliance to see if your tongue is a contributing factor because it holds the tongue forward. If the snoring sound is reduced, an antisnoring solution such as the aveoTSD might just be effective.

Comfort and practicality are strong points of the aveoTSD.Given its small size, the appliance is a practical device whether people use it at home or when traveling. It can, though, take up to a week for customers to get used to sleeping with it in order to get maximum benefit from the product.

In response, the manufacturer has continually improved the thinness of the material that fits around the tongue to stabilize it. Since the company halved the size of this "skirt" to just 0.4 mm, users have adapted to the device quicker.

For more information, go to www.getaveo.com.

Dr. Michael DiTolla is the Director of Clinical Research and Education at Glidewell Laboratories in Newport Beach, Calif. He lectures nationwide on both restorative and cosmetic dentistry. Dr. DiTolla has several free clinical programs available online or on DVD at www.glidewelldental.com.

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