Mandibular advancement splint

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A mandibular advancement splint for treatment of sleep apnea.

A mandibular splint or mandibular advancement splint is a device worn in the mouth that is used to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring.

A Mandibular Advancement Splint treats snoring and mild to moderate OSA by moving the lower jaw forward slightly. This forward movement tightens the soft tissue and muscles of the upper airway, which prevents obstruction of the airway while you sleep. The tightening created by the device also prevents the tissues of the upper airway from vibrating as air passes over them – the most common cause of loud snoring.

Mandibular advancement splints are widely used in the United States and are beginning to be used in Britain and Israel. Where appropriate, they are considered a good therapy choice as they are non-invasive, easily reversible, quiet and generally well accepted by the patient. The focus of improvement in appliance design is in reducing bulk, permitting free jaw movement (I.E. for yawning, speaking, drinking), permitting you to breathe through your mouth (early 'welded gum shield' type devices prevented oral breathing) and providing a robust and adjustable (in terms of advancement) device.

A wide variety of DIY mandibular advancement splints are also available. These are much cheaper and provide the same benefits if fitted correctly. A guide to the commercially available DIY splints is at ^[1] (Commercial website). Note that a badly fitted mandibular splint will put the weight of the jaw on only a few of the patient's teeth, risking damage.^[2]

This type of oral appliance is sometimes known as a mandibular advancement device or mandibular repositioning device, mandibular advancers, or any of these names with "jaw" in place of the word "mandibular."^[3]