Sound Sleeper
A new device proves promising in the treatment of sleep apnea
For the 18 to 20 million Americans who suffer from sleep apnea, there may be a new remedy on the horizon. Researchers in the Dental School at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio tested a device called the Thornton Adjustable Postioner (TAP) to treat those with moderate to severe sleep apnea. The device, which helps pull the lower jaw forward to create an open airway in the throat, offers a more affordable, comfortable and easier to use treatment than the standard therapies available.
According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, the common disorder is caused by a blockage of the airway, when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep, or when the brain fails to signal muscles to breathe. Both apneas result in less and poor quality sleep, as the brain arouses individuals in order to resume breathing.
Standard treatments available are considered bulky and uncomfortable, according to Paul McLornan, B.D.S., assistant professor in the Department of Prosthodontics and the lead investigator of an 18-month study involving sleep apnea patients. His research found the TAP machine to be a successful therapy.
"We saw patients who began the study with severe sleep apnea end the study with very mild or no sleep apnea. They reported sleeping better, feeling more rested in the morning and altogether healthier."
The TAP device is smaller than the standard option and fits directly into a patient's mouth. Wearing the device every night, patients use a key to pull their jaws forward, creating an open airway in the throat.
"If left untreated, [sleep apnea] becomes progressively worse," Dr. McLornan says. "People suffering from sleep apnea are at increased risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, obesity and diabetes. The TAP gives patients another viable treatment alternative."
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