07. Mandibular Advancement Appliances
Effective breathing is key during sleep and it's possible you may have structural issues in your head, nose and/or throat or even below which are negatively impacting your ability to breathe. These include:
Your nasal passages are too narrow making it challenging to get adequate air in and out
- Reasons for this include the following below. You may use your testing technique to determine if any of these apply to you.
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- Your palate is too narrow. Chronic mouth breathing feeds into this developmental pattern. To learn more about why we develop narrow faces read here.
- You have enlarged turbinates or polyps in your nasal cavity reducing the flow of air here.
- You have increased neuromuscular tension in your head, neck and/or below which closes down your airway.
- You have sinus congestion due to underlying toxins and/or pathogens.
- Or some or all of the above as they tend to contribute to each other.
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Your oropharangeal airway is being occluded
- If you are mouth breathing during sleep, there is a tendency for your jaw and thus tongue to slide back into your throat which can potentially occlude your airway. This may happen more if you sleep on your back. Furthermore, if your palate is too narrow, your tongue can have a difficult time posturing on the roof of your mouth (preferred place where your tongue should naturally rest) making it more likely to mouth breathe. This fosters a pattern of the tongue sliding back into the throat occluding the airway.
Your airway is collapsing
- If you are mouth breathing during sleep it disrupts the pressure relationship within your airway making it more likely for your airway to collapse.
- If you are not appropriately using your diaphragm and abdominals to breathe this can also affect the air pressure in your airway making it more prone to collapse.
- Malocclusion creates increased neuromuscular tension in your head, neck and jaw and even below to your rib cage, pelvis and feet. This can also make your airway prone to collapse.
When there are structural issues at play that are negatively impacting your breathing and thus sleep, the dental profession has many solutions (besides the traditional C-PAP option that the medical professional will routinely prescribe). ENTs can also help in this department if enlarged polyps and turbinates are at play. Performing specific postural restoration and orofacial myofunctional therapy techniques can address neuromuscular tension issues as well as poor patterns related to chewing, swallowing, tongue posture and breathing.
If the position of your jaw is the primary issue impacting your breathing then a Mandibular Advancement Oral Appliance may be a possible solution. This appliance has an upper and lower section connected together that prevents your jaw from sliding backwards when you sleep to keep your airway open. There are many different types of these. If this kind of appliance would help you, we recommend one that allows some lateral motion of the jaw so it is not completely fixed while wearing.
Browse the following 3 categories or use your testing technique to determine if any pertain to you.
1. EMA (Elastic Mandibular Appliance)
- The EMA (Elastic Mandibular Appliance) uses an upper and lower appliance connected with elastic bands that have varying degrees of tension which you have the flexibility to adjust. It allows side to side motion which helps to keep the cranial system free.
2. Myobrace
- Myobrace has features of a mandibular advancement appliance in addition to keeping the lower jaw forward and the tongue up. It is made from silicone so it is not rigid thus permitting cranial bone movement. Traditional mandibular advancement appliances do not influence the tongue which is an advantage of the Myobrace.
3. Other Types
- Refer here to the extensive list of Mandibular Advancement Oral Appliance options. We caution against any that do not permit some side to side movement of the jaw as these tend to lock up the bones of the head and neck and even the lower aspects of the postural system.
There are many other structural solutions to breathing and sleep problems.
Browse the following 8 options or use your testing technique to determine if any pertain to you.
Sleep issues can be rooted in physiological and emotional problems.
Browse the following 2 options or use your testing technique to determine if any pertain to you.
Enjoy these other related Master Guide items to Resonate Health:
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This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your medical doctor or professional if you have medical concerns.
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