MARC LEVIN
INTRODUCTION OF THE
Respire Blue+ AND Blue EF+
There are over 100 differ-
ent oral appliances to treat
obstructive sleep apnea
which for the most part,
can categorized into 3 main
types, dorsal fin, Herbst and
TAP.
Q. Would you recommend
Respire Blue+ to your
peers?
Q. Which of the 3 types of
devices do you most often
prescribe for your patients?
A. The Dorsal fin design is
my go-to device due to its
versatility. I’ve inserted sev-
eral hundred to date.
Q. What do you see as the
benefits and drawbacks of
the dorsal fin design?
A. Patients enjoy the free-
dom of the dorsal fin de-
sign, allowing them the
ability to open and close
while wearing the appliance.
In addition, the fact that
the upper and lower can be
placed independently is a
plus especially for patients
with small mouths. Making
adjustments to the device
is also easy. The biggest
drawback I have found is
that it’s not ideal for use
with heavy bruxers.
Q. What makes the Respire
Blue+ unique among dorsal
fin appliances?
A. It overcomes the weak-
ness of traditional dorsal
fin appliances to allow its
use with patients who brux.
It accomplishes this with its
create a vertical dorsal fin
at the base instead of the
usual 45-degree angle. This
provides a slight resistance
upon opening which I find
useful for patients who
sleep on their back or for
mouth breathers. This can
also reduce the need for
elastic hooks. For patients
who prefer the freedom of
the 45-degree angle, I can
request that from the lab,
or adjust the device chair-
side.
unique 4 wing design, 2 ad-
justable wings and 2 fixed
wings, thereby dispersing
the load on the appliance
during lateral excursions.
A. Absolutely. The Respire
Blue+ is a positive step in
the evolution of oral appli-
ance design. Its new fea-
tures only improve on an
already highly effective and
user friendly appliance.
Q. Seems like a small, but
crucial change?
A. Huge change! Nocturnal
bruxism is closely related
to OSA so a durable de-
vice is essential. In addition,
the increased strength
doesn’t come with a signif-
icant increase in bulk. The
area occupied by the extra
wing was previously unused
space.
Q. How have patients re-
acted to the Respire Blue+?
A. Response has been very
positive. The quality and fit
of the appliances has been
exceptional. Fittings have
been easy with only minimal
adjustments.
Q. Any other unique fea-
tures on the new device?
A. Yes, the new upper wings
DR. MARC LEVIN
Dr Marc Levin is the
founder of EOS dental
sleep and the dental di-
rector for EOS Sleep. He
is a graduate of the Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania
School of Dental Medi-
cine. He practices dental
sleep medicine in Phila-
delphia and New York City.