Snoring Device Cuts Snoring, Sleep Apnea

A mouth appliance designed to move the lower jaw forward can be an effective way to reduce snoring and improve sleep apnea, found a U.S. study.

The study, published in Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery, found that patients who used the two-piece device, known as the Thornton Adjustable Positioner II, experienced decreases in snores per hour and snoring loudness, along with a decrease in the percentage of palatal snoring events.

There was also a decrease in oxygen desaturation events — where oxygen levels are decreased by 4 percent or more from normal levels, according to study authors Stephanie Stouder, Dr. Loren Jones, Dr. Scott Brietzke and Dr. Eric A. Mair — associated with the U.S. Air Force’s Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio.

The study authors recommend further studies on the mechanisms of oral appliances, as well as the dynamic relationships within the pharyngeal airway in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and snoring problems.