What is SomnoDent?
SomnoDent is an oral sleep appliance that is designed to treat mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Each SomnoDent device is custom-made specifically for your jaw and works by adjusting its position to prevent lapses in breathing during sleep.
How does it work?
SomnoDent is made in two parts – an upper and lower dental plate that is joined using a unique patented fin-coupling component which allows the mouth to open and close as normal. However, the splint actually moves the lower jaw slightly forwards which tightens the muscles and soft tissue, stopping them from slipping and blocking your airway. Another major benefit of SomnoDent is that it also prevents the tissues of the upper airway from vibrating as you breathe, which is the most common cause of snoring!
Is it comfortable to wear?
Absolutely. SomnoDent is extremely comfortable to wear and does not lock or fix your jaw together like other similar devices. It is custom-made to fit your jaw exactly, and very discrete so no-one even needs to know you are wearing it. Once in place, it is virtually unnoticeable and will not affect your ability to get a good night’s sleep.
Compliance Recording Technology
One of the biggest benefits of SomnoDent is compliance recording technology. Continuous Open Airway Therapy (COAT) is a popular treatment choice for patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. However, an important part of this type of treatment is the ability to accurately measure patient compliance in order to assess its effectiveness. Physicians, dentists, and other medical experts are increasingly required to provide objective, quantitative evidence that patients are actually using the treatment and while CPAP machines are able to do this, around 40% of people with OSA are actually intolerant to using them. SomnoDent is the first oral device cleared by the FDA to include compliance recording technology. It has the unique capability to recognize and register the amount of time that the device is worn for, in addition to the supine or non-supine head position of the patient. Daily summaries of this valuable patient data can then be uploaded into a HIPAA-secure Cloud. This means that the results are accessible anytime and anywhere with an internet connection.
Such comprehensive compliance reporting puts SomnoDent on par with CPAP technology in terms of regulation and gathering clinical data. This means clinicians and medical experts can see first-hand that patients are wearing their SomnoDent braces and are receiving the treatment that they have been prescribed. It also allows means SomnoDent can be effectively and accurately monitored to ensure that it is the best course of treatment for each individual patient.
How effective is SomnoDent?
Statistics taken from SomnoDent’s own website show a positive result from their patient surveys. These include:
- 95% of patients with proven obstructive sleep apnea stated that they would like to continue using SomnoDent.
- 83% of patients reported an improvement in sleep quality while using SomnoDent.
Am I a good candidate for SomnoDent?
SomnoDent only works for people who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Sufficient healthy teeth and gums are required in order to use an oral device, and where some require at least ten teeth in both the upper and lower jaws. SomnoDent can be used with less. There are a number of varieties of the design available, meaning patients with partial dentures or bridges can also use this innovative solution. Your dentist will be able to assess your medical and dental situation and inform you which SomnoDent solution is right for you.
If you or your partner suffer from obstructive sleep apnea and are at your wit’s end with the side effects of this troublesome condition, make an appointment with Dr. Ajmo to find out more about how SomnoDent can change your life.