Dental Sleep Medicine Insider July 2017 | Página 5

GARY QUAKA LINING THE PATH TO SUCCESSFUL ORAL APPLIANCE THERAPY T he introduction of new appliance designs for treating obstructive sleep apnea seems to have no end in sight. In Boston at the annual AADSM Meeting, I overheard one dentist declare, “There are now over 150 differ- ent FDA Cleared appliances that can be used for OSA”. However, the basic principle remains the same with most of these ap- pliances. They reposition the mandible down and forward to maintain an airway opening. What is often overlooked in the appliance selection process are these three basic and critical questions. 1. How easy and simple is the appliance to deliver at chair side? 2. How easily is the appliance adjusted for path of insertion or undercut challenges? 3. Can the appliance be man- aged and readapted after re- storative dental work? At DynaFlex, we have addressed these three important questions with the next generation of oral appliance materials called Accu-Fit. The demand for the Accu-Fit liner in sleep applianc- es continues to grow at a rapid pace. In fact, doctors requesting the Accu-Fit liner has increased more than 207% over the last two years. The Accu-Fit liner is simple and easy to deliver and eliminates timely adjust- ments of acrylic or wires. Also and possibly more importantly, the Accu-Fit liner is complete- ly re-adaptable to fit your pa- tient’s dentition after dental restorations. DynaFlex is the only manufacturer offering this FDA cleared and patent pending process for both the Herbst and DynaFlex Dorsal designs. The overwhelming reason doc- tors request the Accu-Fit ma- terial in their sleep appliances is the guaranteed fit. Dr. Rich- ard Drake, a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, has stated on several occasions “This material is the eighth wonder of the world”. The DynaFlex Dorsal and Herbst Accu-Fit designs fit first time every time. The appliance is received “fit ready” from DynaF- lex on digitally printed 3D acrylic models of the patient’s denti- tion. To further customize the appliance, the dentist places it in preheated water at 160 degrees for precisely seven seconds. This simple seven second pro-